- -H  ^ 

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L I E>  R.A  FLY 
OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY 
OF  I LLI  N O I S 

From  the  Library  of 
Dr.  R.  E.  Hieronymus 
1942 


a 

DI69dl 

1888 


a\> 

H. 


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TWO  YEARS 


LIFE  AT  SEA. 


By 

r 

R.  H.  DANA,  Jr. 


- ■ -Crowded  in  the  rank  and  narrow  ship,— 

Housed  on  the  wild  sea  with  wild  usages, — 

Whate’er  in  the  inland  dales  the  land  conceals 
Of  fair  and  exquisite,  O 1 nothing,  nothing, 

Do  we  behold  of  that  in  our  rude  voyage. 

Coleridge’s  Wallenstbi* 


CHICAGO,  HEW  YORK  AND  SAN  FRANCISCO: 

BELFORD,  CLARKE  & CO. 

1888. 


SnoraiCtiojGTH  3 ~p?  3T 


5 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


CHAPTER  L 

I am  unwilling  to  present  this  narrative  to  the  public 
without  a few  words  in  explanation  of  my  reasons  for  pub- 
lishing it.  Since  Mr.  Cooper’s  Pilot  and  Red  Rover,  there 
have  been  so  many  stories  of  sea-life  written,  that  I should 
really  think  it  unjustifiable  in  me  to  add  one  to  the  number 
without  being  able  to  give  reasons  in  some  measure  war- 
ranting me  in  so  doing. 

With  the  single  exception,  as  I am  quite  confident,  of 
Mr.  Ames’  entertaining,  but  hasty  and  desultory  work, 
called  “ Mariner’s  Sketches,”  all  the  books  professing  to 
give  life  at  sea  have  been  written  by  persons  who  have 
gained  their  experience  as  naval  officers,  or  passengers, 
and  of  these,  there  are  very  few  which  are  intended  to  be 
taken  as  narratives  of  facts. 

Now,  in  the  first  place,  the  whole  course  of  life,  and 
daily  duties,  the  discipline,  habits  and  customs  of  a man- 
of-war  are  very  different  from  those  of  the  merchant  ser- 
vice ; and  in  the  next  place,  however  entertaining  and  well 
written  these  books  may  be,  and  however  accurately  they 
may  give  sea-life  as  it  appears  to  their  authors,  it  must  still 
be  plain  to  every  one  that  a naval  officer,  who  goes  to  sea 
as  a gentleman,  “ with  his  gloves  on,”  (as  the  phrase  is,) 
and  who  associates  only  with  his  fellow-officers,  and  hardly 
speaks  to  a sailor  except  through  a boatswain’s  mate,  must 


4 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


take  a very  different  view  of  the  whole  matter  from  that 
which  would  be  taken  by  a common  sailor. 

Besides  the  interest  which  every  one  must  feel  in 
exhibitions  of  life  in  those  forms  in  which  he  himself  has 
never  experienced  it ; there  has  been,  of  late  years,  a great 
deal  of  attention  directed  toward  common  seamen,  and  a 
strong  sympathy  awakened  in  their  behalf.  Yet  I believe 
that,  with  the  single  exception  which  I have  mentioned, 
there  has  not  been  a book  written,  professing  to  give  their 
life  and  experiences,  by  one  who  has  been  of  them,  and 
can  know  what  their  life  really  is.  A voice  from  the  fore- 
castle has  hardly  yet  been  heard. 

In  the  following  pages  I desire  to  give  an  accurate  and 
authentic  narrative  of  a little  more  than  two  years  spent 
as  a common  sailor,  before  the  mast,  in  the  American  mer- 
chant service.  It  is  written  out  from  a journal  which  I 
kept  at  the  time,  and  from  notes  which  I made  of  most  of 
the  events  as  they  happened ; and  in  it  I have  adhered 
closely  to  fact  in  every  particular,  and  endeavored  to  give 
each  thing  its  true  character.  In  so  doing,  I have  been 
obliged  occasionally  to  use  strong  and  coarse  expressions, 
and  in  some  instances  to  give  scenes  which  may  be  pain- 
ful to  nice  feelings  ; but  I have  very  carefully  avoided 
doing  so,  whenever  I have  not  felt  them  essential  to  giving 
the  true  character  of  a scene.  My  design  is,  and  it  is  this 
which  has  induced  me  to  publish  the  book,  to  present  the 
life  of  a common  sailor  at  sea  as  it  really  is, — the  light  and 
the  dark  together.  There  may  be  in  some  parts  a good 
deal  that  is  unintelligible  to  the  general  reader  ; but  I have 
found  from  my  own  experience,  and  from  what  I have 
heard  from  others,  that  plain  matters  of  fact  in  relation  to 
customs  and  habits  of  life  new  to  us,  and  descriptions  of 
life  under  new  aspects,  act  upon  the  inexperienced  through 
the  imagination,  so  that  we  are  hardly  aware  of  our  want  of 
technical  knowledge.  Thousands  read  the  escapes  of  the 
American  frigate  through  the  British  channel,  and  the 
chase  and  wreck  of  the  Bristol  trader  in  the  Red  Rover, 
and  follow  the  minute  nautical  manoeuvres  with  breathless 
interest,  who  do  not  know  the  name  of  a rope  in  the  ship,* 
perhaps  with  none  the  less  admiration  and  enthusiasm  for 
their  want  of  acquaintance  with  the  professional  detail. 

In  preparing  this  narrative  I have  carefully  avoided  in* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


5 

corporating  into  it  any  impressions  but  those  made  upon 
me  by  the  events  as  they  occurred,  leaving  to  my  conclud- 
ing* chapter,  to  which  I shall  respectfully  call  the  reader's 
attention,  those  views  which  have  been  suggested  to  me  by 
subsequent  reflection. 

These  reasons,  and  the  advice  of  a few  friends,  have 
led  me  to  give  this  narrative  to  the  press.  If  it  shall 
interest  the  general  reader,  and  call  more  attention  to  the 
welfare  of  seamen,  or  give  any  information  as  to  their  real 
condition,  which  may  serve  to  raise  them  in  the  rank  of 
beings,  and  to  promote  in  any  measure  their  religious  and 
moral  improvement,  and  diminish  the  hardships  of  their 
daily  life,  the  end  of  its  publication  will  be  answered. 

R.  H.  Jr. 


6 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


DEPARTURE. 

The  fourteenth  of  August  was  the  day  fixed  upon  for 
the  sailing  of  the  brig  Pilgrim  on  her  voyage  from  Boston 
round  Cape  Horn  to  the  western  coast  of  North  America. 
As  she  was  to  get  under  weigh  early  in  the  afternoon,  I 
made  my  appearance  on  board  at  twelve  o’clock,  in  full 
sea-rig,  and  with  my  chest,  containing  an  outfit  for  a two 
or  three  years’  voyage,  which  I had  undertaken  from  a 
determination  to  cure,  if  possible,  by  an  entire  change  of 
life,  and  by  a long  absence  from  books  and  study,  a weak- 
ness of  the  eyes,  which  had  obliged  me  to  give  up  my  pur- 
suits, and  which  no  medical  aid  seemed  likely  to  cure. 

The  change  from  the  tight  dress  coat,  silk  cap  and  kid 
gloves  of  an  undergraduate  at  Cambridge,  to  the  loose 
duck  trowsers,  checked  shirt  and  tarpaulin  hat  of  a sailor, 
though  somewhat  of  a transformation,  was  soon  made,  and 
I supposed  that  I should  pass  very  well  for  a jack  tar. 
But  it  is  impossible  to  deceive  the  practised  eye  in  these 
matters  ; and  while  I supposed  myself  to  be  looking  as  salt 
as  Neptune  himself,  I was,  no  doubt,  known  for  a lands- 
man by  every  one  on  board  as  soon  as  I hove  in  sight.  A 
sailor  has  a peculiar  cut  to  his  clothes,  and  a way  of  wear- 
ing them  which  a green  hand  can  never  get.  The  trowsers, 
tight  round  the  hips,  and  thence  hanging  long  and  loose 
round  the  feet,  a superabundance  of  checked  shirt,  a low- 
crowned,  well  varnished  black  hat,  worn  on  the  back  of 
the  head,  with  half  a fathom  of  black  ribbon  hanging  over 
the  left  eye,  and  a peculiar  tie  to  the  black  silk  necker- 
chief, with  sundry  other  minutiae,  are  signs,  the  want  of 
which  betray  the  beginner,  at  once.  Beside  the  points  in 
my  dress  which  were  out  of  the  way,  doubtless  my  com- 
plexion and  hands  were  enough  to  distinguish  me  from  the 
regular  salt , who,  with  a sunburnt  cheek,  wide  step,  and 
rolling  gait,  swings  his  bronzed  and  toughened  hands  a- 
thwart-ships,  half  open,  as  though  just  ready  to  grasp  a 
rope. 

“ With  all  my  imperfections  on  my  head,”  I joined  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


7 


crew,  and  we  hauled  out  into  the  stream,  and  came  to 
anchor  for  the  night.  The  next  day  we  were  employed  in 
preparations  for  sea,  reeving  studding-sail  gear,  crossing 
royal  yards,  putting  on  chafing  gear,  and  taking  on  board 
our  powder.  On  the  following  night,  I stood  my  first 
watch.  I remained  awake  nearly  all  the  first  part  df  the 
night  from  fear  that  I might  not  hear  when  I was  called  ; 
and  when  I went  on  deck,  so  great  were  my  ideas  of  the 
importance  of  my  trust,  that  I walked  regularly  fore  and 
aft  the  whole  length  of  the  vessel,  looking  out  over  the 
bows  and  taifrail  at  each  turn,  and  was  not  a little  surprised 
at  the  coolness  of  the  old  salt  whom  I called  to  take  my 
place,  in  stowing  himself  snugly  away  under  the  long  boat, 
for  a nap.  That  was  a sufficient  look-out,  he  thought,  for 
a fine  night,  at  anchor  in  a safe  harbor. 

The  next  morning  was  Saturday,  and  a breeze  having 
sprung  up  from  the  southward,  we  took  a pilot  on  board, 
hove  up  our  anchor,  and  began  beating  down  the  bay.  I 
took  leave  of  those  of  my  friends  who  came  to  see  me  off, 
and  had  barely  opportunity  to  take  a last  look  at  the  city, 
and  well-known  objects,  as  no  time  is  allowed  on  board 
ship  for  sentiment.  As  we  drew  dpwn  into  the^lower 
harbor,  we  found  the  wind  ahead  in  the  bay,  and  were 
obliged  to  come  to  anchor  in  the  roads.  We  remained 
there  through  the  day  and  a part  of  the  night.  My  watch 
began  at  eleven  o’clock  at  night,  and  I received  orders  to 
call  the  captain  if  the  wind  came  out  from  the  westward. 
About  midnight  the  wind  became  fair,  and  having  called 
the  captain,  I was  ordered  to  call  all  hands.  How  I ac- 
complished this  I do  not  know,  but  I am  quite  sure  that 
I did  not  give  the  true  hoarse,  boatswain  call*  of  “ A-a-11 
ha-a-a-nds  ! up  anchor,  a-ho-oy  I ” In  a short  time  every  one 
was  in  motion,  the  sails  loosed,  the  yards  braced,  and  we 
began  to  heave  up  the  anchor,  which  was  our  last  hold 
upon  Yankee  land.  I could  take  but  little  partin  all  these 
preparations.  My  little  knowledge  of  a vessel  was  all  at 
fault.  Unintelligible  orders  were  so  rapidly  given  and  so 
immediately  executed ; there  was  such  3 hurrying  abont, 
and  such  an^intermingling  of  strange  cries  and  ^stranger 
actions,  that  I was  completely  bewildered.  There  is  not 
so  helpless  and  pitiable  an  object  in  the  world  as  a lands- 
man beginning  a sailors’s  life.  At  length  those  peculiar, 


8 TllV  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

long-drawn  sounds,  which  denote  that  the  crew  are  heaving 
at  the  windlass,  began,  and  in  a few  moments  we  were 
under  weigh.  The  noise  of  the  water  thrown  from  the 
bows  began  to  be  heard,  the  vessel  leaned  over  from  the 
damp  night  breeze,  and  rolled  with  a heavy  ground  swell, 
and  we  had  actually  begun  our  long,  long  journey.  This 
was  literally  bidding  “ good  night  ” to  my  native  land. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  first  day  we  passed  at  sea  was  the  Sabbath.  As 
we  were  just  from  port,  and  there  was  a great  deal  to  be 
done  on  board,  we  were  kept  at  work  all  day,  and  at  night 
the  watchers  were  set,  and  everything  put  into  sea  order. 
When  we  were  called  aft  to  be  divided  into  watches,  I had 
a good  specimen  of  the  manner  of  a sea  captain.  After 
the  division  had  been  made,  he  gave  a short  characteristic 
speech,  walking  the  quarte.  deck  with  a cigar  in  his  mouth, 
and  dropping  the  words  out  between  the  puffs. 

“ Now,  my  men,  we  have  begun  a long  voyage.  If  we 
get  along  well  together,  we  shall  have  a comfortable  time ; 
if  we  don’t,  we  shall  have  hell  afloat. — All  you’ve  got  to  do 
is  to  obey  your  orders  and  do  your  duty  like  men, — then 
you’ll  fare  well  enough ; — if  you  don’t,  you’ll  fare  hard 
enough, — I can  tell  you.  If  we  pull  together,  you’ll  find 
me  a clever  fellow  ; if  we  don’t,  you’ll  find  me  a bloody 
rascal. — That’s  all  I’ve  got  to  say. — Go  below,  the  larboard 
watch ! ” 

I being  in  the  starboard,  or  second  mate’s  watch,  had 

the  opportunity  of  keeping  the  first  watch  at  sea.  S , 

a young  man,  making,  like  myself,  his  first  voyage,  was  in 
the  same  watch,  and  as  he  was  the  son  of  a professional 
man,  and  had  been  in  a counting-room  in  Boston,  we  found 
that  we  had  many  friends  and  topics  in  common.  We 
talked  these  matters  over; — Boston,  what  our  friends  were 
probably  doing,  our  voyage,  etc.,  until  he  went  to  take  his 
turn  at  the  look-out,  and  left  me  to  myself.  I had  now  a 
fine  time  for  reflection.  I felt  for  the  first  time  the  perfect 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


9 


silence  of  the  sea.  The  officer  was  walking  the  quartei 
deck,  where  I had  no  right  to  go,  one  or  two  men  were 
talking  on  the  forecastle,  whom  I had  little  inclination  to 
join,  so  that  I was  left  open  to  the  full  impression  of  every- 
thing about  me.  However  much  I was  affected  by  the 
beauty  of  the  sea,  the  bright  stars,  and  the  clouds  driven 
swiftly  over  them,  I could  not  but  remember  that  I was 
separating  myself  from  all  the  social  and  intellectual  enjoy- 
ments of  life.  Yet,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  I did  then  and 
afterwards  take  pleasure  in  these  reflections,  hoping  by 
them  to  prevent  my  becoming  insensible  to  the  value  of 
what  I was  leaving. 

But  all  my  dreams  were  soon  put  to  flight  by  an  ordei 
from  the  officer  to  trim  the  yards,  as  the  wind  was  getting 
ahead  ; and  I could  plainly  see  by  the  looks  the  sailors 
occasionally  cast  to  windward,  and  by  the  dark  clouds  that 
were  fast  coming  up,  that  we  had  bad  weather  to  pre- 
pare for,  and  had  heard  the  captain  say  that  he  expected 
to  be  in  the  Gulf  Stream  by  twelve  o’clock.  In  a few 
minutes  eight  bells  were  struck,  the  watch  called,  and  we 
went  below.  I now  began  to  feel  the  first  discomforts  of 
a sailor’s  life.  The  steerage  in  which  I lived  was  filled 
with  coils  of  rigging,  spare  sails,  old  junk  and  ship  stores, 
which  had  not  been  stowed  away.  Moreover,  there  had 
been  no  berths  built  for  us  to  sleep  in,  and  we  were  not 
allowed  to  drive  nails  to  hang  our  clothes  upon.  The  sea, 
too,  had  risen,  the  vessel  was  rolling  heavily,  and  every- 
thing was  pitched  about  in  grand  confusion.  There  was  a 
complete  “ hurrah’s  nest,”  as  the  sailors  say,  “ everything 
on  top  and  nothing  at  hand.”  A large  hawser  had  been 
coiled  away  upon  my  chest  ; my  hats,  boots,  mattress  and 
blankets  had  all  fetched  away  and  gone  over  the  leeward, 
and  were  jammed  and  broken  under  the  boxes  and  coils  of 
rigging.  To  crown  all,  we  were  allowed  no  light  to  find 
anything  with,  and  I was  just  beginning  to  feel  strong 
symptoms  of  sea-sickness,  and  that  listlessness  and  in- 
activity which  accompany  it.  Giving  up  all  attempts  to 
collect  my  things  together,  I lay  down  upon  the  sails,  ex- 
pecting every  moment  to  hear  the  cry  of  “ all  hands  ahoy,” 
which  the  approaching  storm  would  soon  make  necessary. 
I shortly  heard  the  rain-drops  falling  on  deck,  thick  and 
fast,  and  the  watch  evidently  had  their  hands  full  of  work, 


no  TWO  T&Ak-S  TJLTOliL  TUT  MAST, 

for  I could  hear  the  loud  and  repeated  orders  of  the  mate, 
the  trampling  of  feet,  the  creaking  of  blocks,  and  all  the 
accompaniments  of  a coming  storm.  In  a few  minutes  the 
slide  of  the  hatch  was  thrown  back,  which  let  down  the 
noise  and  tumult  of  the  deck  still  louder,  the  loud  cry  of 
“ All  hands,  ahoy  I tumble  up  here  and  take  in  sail/* 
saluted  our  ears,  and  the  hatch  was  quickly  shut  again. 
When  I got  upon  deck,  a new  scene  and  a new  experience 
was  before  me.  The  little  brig  was  close  hauled  upon  the 
wind,  and  lying  over,  as  it  then  seemed  to  me,  nearly  upon 
her  beam  ends.  The  heavy  head  sea  was  beating  against 
her  bows  with  the  noise  and  force  almost  of  a sledge  ham- 
mer, and  flying  over  the  deck,  drenching  us  completely 
through.  The  topsail  haliards  had  been  let  go,  and  the 
great  sails  were  filling  out  and  backing  against  the  masts 
with  a noise  like  thunder.  The  wind  was  whistling  through 
the  rigging,  loose  ropes  flying  about ; loud  and,  to  me,  un- 
intelligible orders  constantly  given  and  rapidly  executed, 
and  the  sailors  “ singing  out  ” at  the  ropes  in  their  hoarse 
and  peculiar  strains.  In  addition  to  all  this,  I had  not  got 
my  “ sea  legs  on,”  was  dreadfully  sick,  with  hardly  strength 
enough  to  hold  on  to  anything,  and  it  was  “ pitch  dark.” 
This  was  my  state  when  I was  ordered  aloft,  for  the  first 
time,  to  reef  topsails. 

How  I got  along,  I cannot  now  remember.  I “laid 
out  ” on  the  yards  and  held  on  with  all  my  strength.  I 
could  not  have  been  of  much  service,  for  I remember  hav- 
ing been  sick  several  times  before  I left  the  topsail  yard. 
Soon  all  was  snug  aloft,  and  we  were  again  allowed  to  go 
below.  This  I did  not  consider  much  of  a favor,  for  the 
confusion  of  everything  below,  and  the  inexpressible  sicken- 
ing smell,  caused  by  the  shaking  up  of  the  bilge-water  in 
the  hold,  made  the  steerage  but  an  indifferent  refuge  from 
the  cold,  wet  decks.  I had  often  read  of  the  nautical  ex- 
periences of  others,  but  I felt  as  though  there  could  be  none 
worse  than  mine ; for  in  addition  to  every  other  evil,  I 
could  not  but  remember  that  this  was  only  the  first  night 
of  a two  year's  voyage.  When  we  were  on  deck  we  were 
not  much  better  off,  for  we  were  continually  ordered  about 
by  the  officer,  who  said  that  it  was  good  for  us  to  be  in 
motion.  Yet  anything  was  better  than  the  horrible  state 
of  things  below.  I remember  very  well  going  to  the  hatch- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


II 


way  and  putting  my  head  down,  when  I was  oppressed  by 
nausea , and  always  being  relieved  immediately.  It  was  as 
good  as  an  emetic. 

This  state  of  things  continued  for  two  days. 

Wednesday , Aug . 20 th.  We  had  the  watch  on  deck 
from  four  till  eight,  this  morning.  When  we  came  on  deck 
at  four  o’clock,  we  found  things  much  changed  for  the 
better.  The  sea  and  wind  had  gone  down,  and  the  stars 
were  out  bright.  I experienced  a corresponding  change 
in  my  feelings  ; yet  continued  extremely  weak  from  my 
sickness.  I stood  in  the  waist  on  the  weather  side,  watch- 
ing the  gradual  breaking  of  the  day,  and  the  first  streaks 
of  the  early  light.  Much  has  been  said  of  the  sunrise  at 
sea ; but  it  will  not  compare  with  the  sunrise  on  shore.  It 
wants  the  accompaniments  of  the  songs  of  birds,  the 
awakening  hum  of  men,  and  the  glancing  of  the  first  beams 
upon  trees,  hills,  spires,  and  house-tops,  to  give  it  life  and 
spirit.  But  though  the  actual  ?dse  of  the  sun  at  sea  is  not 
so  beautiful,  yet  nothing  will  compare  with  the  early  break- 
ing  of  day  upon  the  wide  ocean. 

There  is  something  in  the  first  gray  streaks  stretching 
along  the  eastern  horizon  and  throwing  an  indistinct  light 
upon  the  face  of  the  deep,  which  combines  with  the  bound- 
lessness and  unknown  depth  of  the  sea  around  you,  and 
gives  one  a feeling  of  loneliness,  of  dread,  and  of  melan- 
choly foreboding,  which  nothing  else  in  nature  can  give. 
This  gradually  passes  away  as  the  light  grows  brighter, 
and  when  the  sun  comes  up,  the  ordinary  monotonous  sea 
day  begins. 

From  such  reflections  as  these,  I was  aroused  by  the 
order  from  the  officer,  “ Forward  there  ! rig  the  head- 
pump  ! ” I found  that  no  time  was  allowed  for  day-dream- 
ing, but  that  we  must  “turn  to”  at  the  first  light.  Hav- 
ing called  up  the  “ idlers,”  namely  carpenter,  cook,  steward, 
etc.,  and  rigged  the  pump,  we  commenced  washing  down 
the  decks.  This  operation,  which  is  performed  every  morn- 
ing at  sea,  takes  nearly  two  hours  ; and  I had  hardly  strength 
enough  to  get  through  it.  After  we  had  finished,  swabbed 
down,  and  coiled  up  the  rigging,  I sat  down  on  the  spars, 
waiting  for  seven  bells,  which  was  the  sign  for  breakfast. 
The  officer,  seeing  my  lazy  posture,  ordered  me  to  slush  the 
main-mast,  from  the  royal-mast-head,  down.  The  vessel 


12 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


was  then  rolling  a little,  and  I had  taken  no  sustenance 
for  three  days,  so  that  I felt  tempted  to  tell  him  that  I 
had  rather  wait  till  after  breakfast;  but  I knew  that  I 
must  “ take  the  bull  by  the  horns,”  and  that  if  I showed 
any  sign  of  want  of  spirit  or  of  backwardness,  that  I should 
be  ruined  at  once.  So  I took  my  bucket  of  grease  and 
climbed  up  to  the  royal-mast-head.  Here  the  rocking  of 
the  vessel,  which  increases  the  higher  you  go  from  the 
foot  of  the  mast,  which  is  the  fulcrum  of  the  lever,  and  the 
smell  of  the  grease,  which  offended  my  fastidious  senses, 
upset  my  stomach  again,  and  I was  not  a little  rejoiced 
when  I got  upon  the  comparative  terra  firma  of  the  deck. 
In  a few  minutes  seven  bells  were  struck,  the  log  hove, 
the  watch  called,  and  we  went  to  breakfast.  Here  I can- 
not but  remember  the  advice  of  the  cook,  a simple-hearted 
African.  “ Now/’  says  he,  “ my  lad,  you  are  well  cleaned 
out;  you  haven’t  got  a drop  of  your  ’long-shore  swash 
aboard  of  you.  You  must  begin  on  a new  tack, — pitch  all 
your  sweet-meats  overboard,  and  turn-to  upon  good  hearty 
salt  beef  and  sea  bread,  and  I’ll  promise  you,  you’ll  have 
your  ribs  well  sheathed,  and  be  as  hearty  as  any  of  ’em, 
afore  you  are  up  to  the  Horn.”  This  would  be  good  ad- 
vice to  give  passengers,  when  they  speak  of  the  little  nice- 
ties which  they  have  laid  in,  in  case  of  sea-sickness. 

I cannot  describe  the  change  which  half  a pound  of 
cold  salt  beef  and  a biscuit  or  two  produced  in  me.  I was 
a new  being.  We  had  a watch  below  until  noon,  so  that  I 
had  some  time  to  myself ; and  getting  a huge  piece  of 
strong,  cold,  salt  beef  from  the  cook,  I kept  gnawing  upon 
it  until  twelve  o’clock.  When  we  went  on  deck  J felt  some- 
what like  a man,  and  could  begin  to  learn  my  sea  duty 
with  considerable  spirit.  At  about  two  o’clock  we  heard 
the  loud  cry  of  “sail  ho!”  from  aloft,  and  soon  saw  two 
sails  to  windward,  going  directly  athwart  our  hawse.  This 
was  the  first  time  that  I had  seen  a sail  at  sea.  I thought 
then,  and  have  always  since,  that  it  exceeds  every  other 
sight  in  interest  and  beauty.  They  passed  to  leeward  of 
us,  and  out  of  hailing  distance  ; but  the  captain  could  read 
the  names  on  their  sterns  with  the  glass.  They  were  the 
ship  Helen  Mar,  of  New  York,  and  the  brig  Mermaid,  of 
Boston.  They  were  both  steering  westward,  and  were 
bound  in  for  our  “ dear  native  land.” 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


T3 


Thursday  Aug  21  st.  This  day  the  sun  rose  clear,  we 
had  a fine  wind,  and  everything  was  bright  and  cheerful. 
I had  now  got  my  sea  legs  on,  and  was  beginning  to 
enter  upon  the  regular  duties  of  a sea-life.  About  six  bells, 
that  is,,  three  o’clock,  P.  M.,  we  saw  a sail  on  our  lar- 
board bow.  I was  very  anxious,  like  every  new  sailor,  to 
speak  her.  She  came  down  to  us,  backed  her  main-top- 
sail, and  the  two  vessels  stood  “ head  on,”  bowing  and 
curvetting  at  each  other  like  a couple  of  warhorses  reined 
in  by  their  riders.  It  was  the  first  vessel  that  I had  seen 
near,  and  I was  surprised  to  find  how  much  she  rolled  and 
pitched  in  so  quiet  a sea.  She  plunged  her  head  into  the 
sea,  and  then,  her  stern  settling  gradually  down,  her  huge 
bows  rose  up,  showing  the  bright  copper,  and  her  stern, 
and  brest-hooks  dripping,  like  old  Neptune’s  locks,  with 
the  brine.  Her  decks  were  filled  with  passengers  who  had 
come  up  at  the  cry  of  “ sail  ho,”  and  who  by  their  dress 
and  features  appeared  to  be  Swiss  and  French  emigrants. 
She  hailed  us  in  French,  but  receiving  no  answer, 
she  tried  us  in  English.  She  was  the  ship  “ La  Carolina,” 
from  Havre,  for  New  York,  We  desired  her  to  report 
the  brig  Pilgrim,  from  Boston,  for  the  northwest  coast  of 
America,  five  days  out.  She  then  filled  away  and  left  us 
to  plough  on  through  our  waste  of  waters.  This  day  en- 
ded pleasantly ; we  had  got  into  regular  and  comfortable 
weather,  and  into  that  -routine  of  sea-life  which  is  only 
broken  by  a storm,  a sail,  or  the  sight  of  land. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A$  we  had  now  a long  “ spell”  of  fine  weather,  without 
any  incident  to  break  the  monotony  of  our  lives,  there 
can  be  no  better  place  to  describe  the  duties,  regulations, 
and  customs  of  an  American  merchantman,  of  which  ours 
was  a fair  specimen. 

The  captain,  in  the  first  place,  is  lord  paramount.  He 
stands  no  watch,  comes  and  goes  when  he  pleases,  and  is 
accountable  to  no  one,  and  must  be  obeyed  in  everything, 
without  a question,  even  from  his  chief  officer.  He  has 


14 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


the  power  to  turn  his  officers  off  duty,  and  even  to  break 
them  and  make  them  do  duty  as  sailors  in  the  forecastle. 
Where  there  are  no  passengers  and  no  supercargo,  as  in 
our  vessel,  he  has  no  companion  but  his  own  dignity,  and 
no  pleasures,  unless  he  differs  from  most  of  his  kind,  but 
the  consciousness  of  possessing  supreme  power,  and,  oc- 
casionally, the  exercise  of  it. 

The  prime  minister,  the  official  organ,  and  the  active 
and  superintending  officer,  is  the  chief  mate.  He  is  first 
lieutenant,  boatswain,  sailing-master,  and  quarter-master. 
The  captain  tells  him  what  he  wishes  to  have  done,  and 
leaves  to  him  the  care  of  overseeing,  of  allotting  the  work, 
and  also  the  responsibility  of  its  being  well  done.  The 
mate  (as  he  is  always  called,  par  excellence)  also  keeps  the 
log-book,  for  which  he  is  responsible  to  the  owners  and  in- 
surers, and  has  the  charge  of  the  stowage,  safe  keeping, 
and  delivery  of  the  cargo.  He  is  also,  cx-officio,  the  wit 
of  the  crew  ; for  the  captain  does  not  condescend  to  joke 
with  the  men,  and  the  second  mate  no  one  cares  for;  so 
that  when  “the  mate”  thinks  fit  to  entertain  “ the  people” 
with  a coarse  joke  or  a little  practical  wit,  every  one  feels 
bound  to  laugh. 

The  second  mate's  is  proverbially  a dog's  berth.  He 
is  neither  officer  nor  man.  The  men  do  not  respect  him 
as  an  officer,  and  he  is  obliged  to  go  aloft  to  reef  and  furl 
the  topsails,  and  to  put  his  hands  into  the  tar  and  slush, 
with  the  rest.  The  crew  call  him  the  “ sailor's  waiter,”  as 
he  has  to  furnish  them  with  spun-yarn,  marline,  and  all 
other  stuffs  that  they  need  in  their  work,  and  has  charge  of 
the  boatswain's  locker,  which  includes  serving-boards,  mar- 
line-spikes, etc.  etc.  He  is  expected  by  the  captain  to 
maintain  his  dignity  and  to  enforce  obedience,  and  still  is 
kept  at  a great  distance  from  the  mate,  and  obliged  to  work 
with  the  crew.  He  is  one  to  whom  little  is  given  and  of 
whom  much  is  required.  His  wages  are  usually  double 
those  of  a common  sailor,  and  he  eats  and  sleeps  in  the 
cabin ; but  he  is  obliged  to  be  on  deck  nearly  all  his  time, 
and  eats  at  the  second  table,  that  is,  makes  a meal  out  of 
what  the  captain  and  chief  mate  leave. 

The  steward  is  the  captain's  servant,  and  has  charge  of 
the  pantry,  from  which  every  one,  even  the  mate  himself, 
is  excluded.  These  distinctions  usually  find  him  an  enemy 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


'5 

in  the  mate,  who  does  not  like  to  have  any  one  on  board 
who  is  not  entirely  under  his  control ; the  crew  do  not  con- 
sider him  as  one  of  their  number,  so  he  is  left  to  the  mercy 
of  the  captain. 

The  cook  is  the  patron  of  the  crew,  and  those  who  are 
in  his  favor  can  get  their  wet  mittens  and  stockings  dried, 
or  light  their  pipes  at  the  galley  in  the  night  watch.  These 
two  worthies,  together  with  the  carpenter  and  sailmaker,  if 
there  be  one,  stand  no  watch,  but,  being  employed  all  day, 
are  allowed  to  “ sleep  in”  at  night  unless  all  hands  are 
called. 

The  crew  are  divided  into  two  divisions,  as  equally  as 
may  be,  called  the  watches.  Of  these  the  chief  mate  com- 
mands the  larboard,  and  the  second  mate  the  starboard. 
They  divide  the  time  between  them,  being  on  and  off  duty, 
or,  as  it  is  called,  on  deck  and  below,  every  other  four 
hours.  If,  for  instance,  the  chief  mate  with  the  larboard 
watch  have  the  first  night-watch  from  eight  to  twelve ; at 
the  end  of  the  four  hours,  the  starboard  watch  is  called, 
and  the  second  mates  takes  the  deck  while  the  larboard 
watch  and  the  first  mate  go  below  until  four  in  the  morning, 
when  they  come  on  deck  again  and  remain  until  eight ; hav- 
ing what  is  called  the  morning  watch.  As  they  will  have 
been  on  deck  eight  hours  out  of  the  twelve,  while  those 
who  had  the  middle  watch — from  twelve  to  four,  will  only 
have  been  up  four  hours,  they  have  what  is  called  a “ fore- 
noon watch  below,”  that  is,  from  eight,  A.M.,  till  twelve, 
M.  In  a man-of-war,  and  in  some  merchantmen^  this  alter- 
nation of  watches  is  kept  up  throughout  the  twenty-four 
hours ; but  our  ship,  like  most  merchantmen,  had  “ all 
hands  ” from  twelve  o’clock  till  dark,  except  in  bad  weather, 
when  we  had  “ watch  and  watch.” 

An  explanation  of  the  “ dog  watches”  may,  perhaps,  be 
of  use  to  one  who  has  never  been  at  sea.  They  are  to 
shift  the  watches  each  night,  so  that  the  same  watch  need 
not  be  on  deck  at  the  same  hours.  In  order  to  effect  this, 
the  watch  from  four  to  eight,  P.  M.,  is  divided  into  two  half, 
or  dog  watches,  one  from  four  to  six,  and  the  other  from 
six  to  eight.  By  this  means  they  divide  the  twenty  four 
hours  into  seven  watches  instead  of  six , and  thus  shift  the 
hours  every  night.  As  the  dog-watches  come  during  twi- 
light, after  the  day’s  work  is  done,  and  before  the  night 


1 6 TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

watch  is  set,  they  are  the  watches  in  which  everybody  is  on 
deck.  The  captain  is  up,  walking  on  the  weather  side  of 
the  quarter-deck,  the  chief  mate  on  the  lee  side,  and  the 
second  mate  about  the  weather  gangway.  The  steward  has 
finished  his  work  in  the  cabin,  and  has  come  up  to  smoke 
his  pipe  with  the  cook  in  the  galley.  The  crew  are  sitting 
on  the  windless  or  lying  on  the  forecastle,  smoking,  singing, 
or  telling  long  yarns.  At  eight  o’clock,  eight  bells  are 
struck,  the  log  is  hove,  the  watch  set,  the  wheel  relieved, 
the  galley  shut  up,  and  the  other  watch  goes  below. 

The  morning  commences  with  the  watch  on  deck’s 
“ turning-to”  at  day-break  and  washing  down,  scrubbing,  and 
swabbing  the  decks.  This,  together  with  filling  the  “ scuttled 
butt”  with  fresh  water,  and  coiling  up  the  rigging,  usually 
occupies  the  time  until  seven  bells,  (half  after  seven,)  when 
all  hands  get  breakfast.  At  eight,  the  day’s  work  begins, 
and  lasts  until  sundown,  with  the  exception  of  an  hour  for 
dinner. 

Before  I end  my  explanations,  it  may  be  well  to  define 
a day's  work,  and  to  correct  a mistake  prevalent  among 
landsmen  about  a sailor’s  life.  Nothing  is  more  common 
than  to  hear  people  say — “Are  not  sailors  very  idle  at 
sea  ? — what  can  they  find  to  do  ? ” This  is  a very  natural 
mistake,  and  being  very  frequently  made,  it  is  one  which 
every  sailor  feels  interested  in  having  corrected.  In  the 
first  place,  then,  the  discipline  of  the  ship  requires  every 
man  to  be  at  work  upon  something  when  he  is  on  deck,  ex- 
cept at  night  and  on  Sundays.  Except  at  these  times,  you 
will  never  see  a man,  on  board  a well-ordered  vessel,  stand- 
ing idle  on  deck,  sitting  down,  or  leaning  over  the  side. 
It  is  the  officers’  duty  to  keep  every  one  at  work,  even  if 
there  is  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  scrape  the  rust  from  the 
chain  cables.  In  no  state  prison  are  the  convicts  more 
regularly  set  to  work,  and  more  closely  watched.  No  con- 
versation is  allowed  among  the  crew  at  their  duty,  and 
though  they  frequently  do  talk  when  aloft,  or  when  near 
one  another,  yet  they  always  stop  when  an  officer  is  nigh. 

With  regard  to  the  work  upon  which.,  the  men  are  put, 
it  is  a matter  which  probably  would  not  be  understood  by 
one  who  has  not  been  at  sea.  When  I first  left  port,  and 
found  that  we  were  kept  regularly  employed  for  a week  or 
twc,  I supposed  that  we  were  getting  the  vessel  into  sea 


TWO  YEARS  BMEORE  SUE  MAST. 


n 


trim  and  that  it  would  soon  be  over,  and  we  should  have 
nothing  to  do  but  to  sail  the  ship ; but  I found  that  it  con- 
tinued so  for  two  years,  and  at  the  end  of  the  two  years  there 
was  as  much  to  be  done  as  ever.  As  has  often  been  said,  a 
ship  is  like  a lady’s  watch,  always  out  of  repair.  When  first 
leaving  port,  studding-sail  gear  is  to  be  rove,  all  the  running 
rigging  to  be  examined,  that  which  is  unfit  for  use  to  be 
got  down,  and  new  rigging  rove  in  its  place  : then  the 
standing  rigging  it  to  be  overhauled,  replaced,  and  repaired, 
in  a thousand  different  ways;  and  wherever  any  of  the 
numberless  ropes  or  the  yards  are  chafing  or  wearing  upon 
it,  there  “ chafing  gear,”  as  it  is  called,  must  be  put  on. 
This  chafing  gear  consists  of  worming,  parcelling,  round- 
ings, battens,  and  service  of  all  kinds — both  rope-yarns, 
spun-yarn,  marline,  and  seizing-stuffs.  Taking  off,  putting 
on,  and  mending  the  chafing  gear  alone,  upon  a vessel, 
would  find  constant  employment  for  two  or  three  men,  dur- 
ing working  hours,  for  a whole  voyage. 

The  next  point  to  be  considered  is,  that  all  the  “ small 
stuffs  ” which  are  used  on  board  a ship — such  as  spun- 
yarn,  marline,  seizing-stuff,  etc.,  etc., — are  made  on  board. 
The  owners  of  a vessel  buy  up  incredible  quantities  of 
“ old  junk,”  which  the  sailors  unlay,  after  drawing  out  the 
yarns,  knot  thorn  together,  and  roll  them  up  in  balls.  These 
“ rope-yarns”  are  constantly  used  for  various  purposes,  but 
the  greater  part  is  manufactured  into  spun-yarn.  For  this 
purpose  every  vessel  is  furnished  with  a “ spun-yarn  winch  ;” 
which  is  very  simple,  consisting  of  a wheel  and  spindle. 
This  may  be  heard  constantly  going  on  deck  in  pleasant 
weather  ; and  we  had  employment,  during  a great  part  of 
the  time,  for  three  hands  in  drawing  and  knotting  yarns, 
and  making  spun-yarn. 

Another  method  of  employing  the  crew  is,  “ setting  up” 
Whenever  any  of  the  standing  rigging  becomes 
slack,  (which  is  continually  happening,)  the  seizing  and 
coverings  must  be  taken  off,  tackles  got  up,  and  after  the 
rigging  is  bowsed  well  taught,  the  seizings  and  coverings 
replaced ; which  is  a very  nice  piece  of  work.  There  is 
also  such  a connection  between  different  parts  of  a vessel, 
that  one  rope  can  seldom  be  touched  without  altering  an- 
other. You  cannot  stay  a mast  aft  by  the  back  stays,  with- 
out slacking  up  the  head  stays,  etc.,  etc.  If  we  add  to  this 


j3  two  years  before  the  mast. 

all  the  tarring,  greasing,  oiling,  varnishing,  painting,  scrap- 
ing, and  scrubbing  which  is  required  in  the  course  of  a 
long  voyage,  and  also  remember  this  is  all  to  be  done  in 
addition  to  watching  at  night,  steering,  reefing,  furling, 
bracing,  making  and  setting  sail,  and  pulling,  hauling  and 
climbing  in  every  direction,  one  will  hardly  ask,  44  What 
can  a sailor  find  to  do  at  sea?  99 

If,  after  all  this  labor — after  exposing  their  lives  and 
limbs  in  storms,  wet  and  cold, 

“ Wherein  the  cub-drawn  bear  would  couch ; 

The  lion  and  the  belly-pinched  wolf 

Keep  their  furs  dry  ; — ” 

# 

the  merchants  and  captains  think  that  they  have  not  earned 
their  twelve  dollars  a month,  (out  of  which  they  clothe 
themselves,)  and  their  salt  beef  and  hard  bread;  that  they 
keep  them  picking  oakum — ad  infinitum.  This  is  the  usual 
resource  upon  a rainy  day,  for  then  it  will  not  do  to  work 
upon  rigging ; and  when  it  is  pouring  down  in  floods,  in- 
stead of  letting  the  sailors  stand  about  in  sheltered  places, 
and  talk,  and  keep  themselves  comfortable,  they  are  sepa- 
rated to  different  parts  of  the  ship  and  kept  at  work  pick- 
ing oakum.  I have  seen  oakum  stuff  placed  about  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  ship,  so  that  the  sailors  might  not  be 
idle  in  the  snatches  between  the  frequent  squalls  upon  cros- 
si Hg  the  equator.  Some  officers  have  been  so  driven  to 
find  work  for  the  crew  in  a ship  ready  for  sea,  that  they 
have  set  them  to  pounding  the  anchors  (often  done)  and 
scraping  the  chain  cables.  The  44  Philadelphia  Catechism” 
is, 

Six  days  shalt  thou  labor  and  do  all  that  thou  art  able, 

And  on  the  seventh — holystone  the  decks  and  scrape  the  cable.” 

This  kind  of  work,  of  course,  is  not  kept  up  off  Cape 
Horn,  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  in  extreme  north  and 
south  latitudes  ; but  I have  seen  the  decks  washed  down 
and  scrubbed,  when  the  water  would  have  frozen  if  it  had 
been  fresh  ; and  all  hands  kept  at  work  upon  the  rigging, 
w^hen  we  had  on  our  pea-jackets,  and  our  hands  so  numb 
that  we  could  hardly  hold  our  marline-spikes. 

I have  here  gone  out  of  my  narrative  course  in  order 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


19 


that  any  who  read  this  may  form  as  correct  an  idea  of  a 
sailor’s  life  and  duty  as  possible.  I have  done  it  in  this 
place  because,  for  some  time,  our  life  was  nothing  but  the 
unvarying  repetition  of  these  duties,  which  can  be  better 
described  together.  Before  leaving  this  description,  how- 
ever, I would  state,  in  order  to  show  landsmen  how  little 
they  know  of  the  nature  of  a ship,  that  a ship-carpenter  is 
kept  in  constant  employ  during  good  weather  on  board 
vessels  which  are  in,  what  is  called,  perfect  sea  order. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

After  speaking  the  “ Carolina,”  on  the  21st.  August, 
nothing  occurred  to  break  the  monotony  of  our  life  until 
Friday , September  5th,  when  we  saw  a sail  on  our 
weather  (starboard)  beam.  She  proved  to  be  a brig  under 
English  colors,  and  passing  under  our  stern,  reported  her- 
self as  forty-nine  days  from  Buenos  Ayres,  bound  to  Liver- 
pool. Before  she  had  passed  us,  “ sail  ho  ! ” was  cried 
again,  and  we  made  another  sail,  far  on  our  weather  bow, 
and  steering  athwart  our  hawse.  She  passed  out  of  hail, 
but  we  made  her  out  to  be  an  hermaphrodite  brig,  with 
Brazilian  colors  in  her  main  rigging.  By  her  course,  she 
must  have  been  bound  from  Brazil  to  the  south  of  Europe, 
probably  Portugal, 

Sunday , Sept.  jih.  Fell  in  with  the  northeast  trade 
winds.  This  morning  we  caught  our  first  dolphin,  which 
I was  very  eager  to  see.  I was  disappointed  in  the  colors 
of  this  fish  when  dying.  They  were  certainly  very  beauti- 
ful, but  not  equal  to  what  has  been  said  of  them.  They 
are  too  indistinct.  To  do  the  fish  justice,  there  is  nothing 
more  beautiful  than  the  dolphin  when  swimming  a few 
feet  below  the  surface,  on  a bright  day.  It  is  the  most 
elegantly  formed,  and  also  the  quickest  fish,  in  salt  water; 
and  the  rays  of  the  sun  striking  upon  it,  in  its  rapid  and 
changing  motions,  reflected  from  the  water,  make  it  look 
like  a stray  beam  from  a rainbow. 

^bis  day  was  spent  like  all  pleasant  Sabbaths  at  sea. 


20 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


The  decks  are  washed  down,  the  rigging  coiled  up,  and 
everything  put  in  order  ; and  throughout  the  day,  only  one 
watch  is  kept  on  deck  at  a time.  The  men  are  all  dressed 
in  their  best  white  duck  trowsers,  and  red  or  checked 
shirts,  and  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  make  the  necessary 
changes  in  the  sails.  They  employ  themselves  in  reading, 
talking,  smoking,  and  mending  their  clothes.  If  the 
weather  is  pleasant,  they  bring  their  work  and  their  books 
upon  deck,  and  sit  down  upon  the  forecastle  and  windlass. 
This  is  the  only  day  on  which  these  privileges  are  allowed 
them.  When  Monday  comes,  they  put  on  their  tarry 
trowsers  again,  and  prepare  for  six  days  of  labor. 

To  enhance  the  value  of  the  Sabbath  to  the  crew,  they 
are  allowed  on  that  day  a pudding,  or  as  it  is  called  a 
“duff.”  This  is  nothing  more  than  flower  boiled  with 
water,  and  eaten  with  molasses.  It  is  very  heavy,  dark, 
and  clammy,  yet  it  is  looked  upon  as  a luxury,  and  really 
forms  an  agreeable  variety  with  salt  beef  and  pork.  Many 
a rascally  captain  has  made  friends  of  his  crew  by  allow- 
ing them  duff  twice  a week  on  the  passage  home. 

On  board  some  vessels  this  is  made  a day  of  instruc- 
tion and  of  religious  exercises ; but  we  had  a crew  of 
swearers,  from  the  captain  to  the  smallest  boy ; and  a day 
of  rest,  and  of  something  like  quiet,  social  enjoyment,  was 
all  that  we  could  expect. 

We  continued  running  large  before  the  northeast  trade 
winds  for  several  days,  until  Monday — 

September  22 d ; when,  upon  coming  on  deck  at  seven 
bells  in  the  morning,  we  found  the  other  watch  aloft  throw- 
ing water  upon  the  sails ; and  looking  astern,  we  saw  a 
small  clipper-built  brig  with  a black  hull  heading  directly 
after  us.  We  went  to  work  immediately,  and  put  all  the 
canvass  upon  the  brig  which  we  could  get  upon  her,  rigging 
out  oars  for  studding-sail  yards  ; and  continued  wetting 
down  the  sails  by  buckets  of  water  whipped  up  to  the  mast- 
head, until  about  nine  o'clock,  when  there  came  on  a driz- 
zling rain.  The  vessel  continued  in  pursuit,  changing  her 
course  as  we  changed  ours,  to  keep  before  the  wind.  The 
captain,  who  watched  her  with  his  glass,  said  that  she  was 
armed,  and  full  of  men  and  showed  no  colors.  We  con- 
tinued running  dead  before  the  wind,  knowing  that  we  sail- 
ed better  so,  and  that  clippers  are  fastest  o?i  the  wind. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


21 


We  had  also  another  advantage.  The  wind  was  light,  and 
we  spread  more  canvas  than  she  did,  having  royals  and 
sky-sails  fore  and  aft,  and  ten  studding-sails ; while  she, 
being  an  hermaphrodite  brig,  had  only  a gaff  topsail,  aft. 
Early  in  the  morning  she  was  overhauling  us  a little,  but 
after  the  rain  came  on  and  the  wind  grew  lighter,  we  began 
to  leave  her  astern.  All  hands  remained  on  deck  through- 
out the  day,  and  we  got  our  arms  in  order;  but  we  were 
too  few  to  have  done  anything  with  her,  if  she  had  proved 
to  be  what  we  feared.  Fortunately  there  was  no  moon, 
and  the  night  which  followed  was  exceedingly  dark,  so  that 
by  putting  out  all  the  lights  on  board  and  altering  our 
course  four  points,  we  hoped  to  get  out  of  her  reach.  We 
had  no  light  in  the  binnacle,  but  steered  by  the  stars,  and 
kept  perfect  silence  through  the  night.  At  day-break  there 
was  no  sign  of  anything  in  the  horizon,  and  we  kept  the 
vessel  off  to  her  course. 

Wednesday,  October  ist.  Crossed  the  equator  in  long 
240  24'  W.  I now,  for  the  first  time,  felt  at  liberty,  ac- 
cording to  the  old  usage,  to  call  myself  a son  of  Neptune, 
and  was  very  glad  to  be  able  to  claim  the  title  without  the 
disagreeable  initiation  which  so  many  have  to  go  through. 
After  once  crossing  the  line  you  can  never  be  subjected  to 
the  process,  but  are  considered  as  a son  of  Neptune,  with 
full  powers  to  play  tricks  upon  others.  This  ancient 
custom  is  now  seldom  allowed,  unless  there  are  passen- 
gers on  board,  in  which  case  there  is  always  a good  deal 
of  sport. 

It  had  been  obvious  to  all  hands  for  some  time  that  the 
second  mate,  whose  name  was  Foster,  was  an  idle,  careless 
fellow,  and  not  much  of  a sailor,  and  that  the  captain  was 
exceedingly  dissatisfied  with  him.  The  power  of  the  cap- 
tain in  these  cases  was  well  known,  and  we  all  anticipated 
a difficulty.  Foster  (called  Mr.  by  virtue  of  his  office) 
was  but  half  a sailor,  having  always  been  short  voyages 
and  remained  at  home  a long  time  between  them.  His 
father  was  a man  of  some  property,  and  intended  to  have 
given  his  son  a liberal  education ; but  he,  being  idle  and 
worthless,  was  sent  off  to  sea,  and  succeded  no  better 
there  ; for,  unlike  many  scamps,  he  had  none  of  the  qua- 
li  ties  of  a sailor — he  was  “not  of  the  stuff  that  they  make 
sailors  of.”  He  was  one  of  that  class  of  officers  who  are 


22 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


disliked  by  their  captain  and  despised  by  the  crew.  He 
used  to  hold  long  yarns  with  the  crew,  and  talk  about  the 
captain,  and  play  with  the  boys,  and  relax  discipline  in 
every  way.  This  kind  of  conduct  always  makes  the  cap- 
tain suspicious,  and  is  never  pleasant  in  the  end,  to  the 
men  ; they  preferring  to  have  an  officer  active,  vigilant,  and 
distant  as  may  be,  with  kindness.  Among  other  bad  prac- 
tices, he  frequently  slept  on  his  watch,  and  having  been 
discovered  asleep  by  the  captain,  he  was  told  that  he 
would  be  turned  off  duty  if  he  did  it  again.  To  prevent  it 
in  every  way  possible  the  hen-coops  were  ordered  to  be 
knocked  up,  for  the  captain  never  sat  down  on  deck  him- 
self, and  never  permitted  an  officer  to  do  so, 

The  second  night  after  crossing  the  equator,  we  had 
the  watch  from  eight  till  twelve,  and  it  was  “ my  helm  ” 
for  the  last  two  hours.  There  had  been  light  squalls 
through  the  night,  and  the  captain  told  Mr.  Foster,  who 
commanded  our  watch,  to  keep  a bright  look-out.  Soon 
after  I came  to  the  helm,  I found  that  he  was  quite  drowsy, 
and  at  last  he  stretched  himself  on  the  companion  and 
went  fast  asleep.  Soon  afterwards,  the  captain  came  very 
quietly  on  deck,  and  stood  by  me  for  some  time  looking  at 
the  compass.  The  officer  at  length  became  aware  of  the 
captain’s  presence,  but  pretending  not  to  know  it,  began 
humming  and  whistling  to  himself,  to  show  that  he  was 
not  asleep,  and  went  forward,  without  looking  behind  him, 
and  ordered  the  main  royal  to  be  loosed.  On  turning 
round  to  come  aft,  he  pretended  surprise  at  seeing  the 
master  on  deck.  This  would  not  do.  The  captain  was 
too  “ wide  awake  ” for  him,  and  beginning  upon  him  at 
once,  gave  him  a grand  blow-up,  in  true  nautical  style — 
“ You’re  a lazy,  good  for  nothing  rascal ; you’re  neither 
man,  boy,  soger,  nor  sailor  ! you’re  no  more  than  a thing 
aboard  a vessel ! you  don’t  earn  your  salt ! you’re  worse 
than  a Mahon  soger ! ” and  other  still  more  choice  ex- 
tracts from  the  sailor’s  vocabulary.  After  the  poor  fellow 
had  taken  this  harrangue  ; he  was  sent  into  his  state-room, 
and  the  captain  stood  the  rest  of  the  watch  himself. 

At  seven  bells  in  the  morning,  all  hands  were  called 
aft  and  told  that  Foster  was  no  longer  an  officer  on  board 
and  that  we  might  choose  one  of  our  number  for  second 
mate.  It  is  usual  for  the  captain  to  make  this  offer,  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAS l. 


23 


it  is  very  good  policy,  for  the  crew  think  themselves 
the  choosers  and  are  flattered  by  it,  but  have  to  obey, 
nevertheless.  Our  crew,  as  is  usual,  refused  t«o  take  the 
responsibility  of  choosing  a man  of  whom  we  would  never 
be  able  to  complain,  and  left  it  to  the  captain.  He  picked 
out  an  active  and  intelligent  young  sailor,  born  near  the 
Kennebec,  who  had  been  several  Canton  voyages,  and 
proclaimed  him  in  the  following  manner : “ I choose  Jim 
Hall — he’s  your  second  mate.  All  you’ve  got  to  do  is,  to 
obey  him  as  you  would  me  ; and  remember  that  he  is  Mr. 
Hall.”  Foster  went  forward  into  the  forecastle  as  a com- 
mon sailor,  and  lost  the  handle  to  his  name , while  young 
fore-mast  Jim  became  Mr.  Hall,  and  took  up  his  quarters 
in  the  land  of  knives  and  forks  and  tea-cups. 

Swiday , October  $th.  It  was  our  morning  watch  ; when, 
soon  after  the  day  began  to  break,  a man  on  the  forecas- 
tle called  out,  “ Land  ho ! ” I had  never  heard  the  cry  be- 
fore, and  did  not  know  what  it  meant,  (and  few  would  sus- 
pect what  the  words  were,  when  hearing  the  strange  sound 
for  the  first  time),  but  I soon  found,  by  the  direction  of 
all  eyes,  that  there  was  land  stretching  along  on  our 
weather  beam.  We  immediately  took  in  studding-sails 
and  hauled  our  wind,  running  for  the  land.  This  was  done 
to  determine  our  longitude ; for  by  the  captain’s  chrono- 
meter we  were  in  250  W.,  but  by  his  observations  we  were 
much  farther,  and  he  had  been  for  some  time  in  doubt 
whether  it  was  his  chronometer  or  his  sextant  which  was 
out  of  order.  This  land-fall  settled  the  matter,  and  the 
former  instrument  was  condemned,  and  becoming  still 
worse,  was  never  afterwards  used. 

As  we  ran  in  towards  the  coast,  we  found  that  we  were 
directly  off  the  port  of  Pernambuco,  and  could  see  with 
the  telescope  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  and  one  large  church, 
and  the  town  of  Olinda.  We  ran  along  by  the  mouth  of 
the  harbor,  and  saw  a full-rigged  brig  going  in.  At  two, 
P.  M.,  we  again  kept  off  before  the  wind,  leaving  the  land 
on  our  quarter,  and  at  sun-down,  it  was  out  of  sight.  It 
was  here  that  I first  saw  one  of  those  singular  things 
called  catamarans.  They  are  composed  of  logs  lashed 
together  upon  the  water ; have  one  large  sail,  are  quite 
fast,  and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  are  trusted  as  good  sea 
boats.  We  saw  several,  with  from  one  to  three  men  in 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


24 

each,  boldly  putting  out  to  sea,  after  it  had  become  al 
most  dark.  The  Indians  go  out  in  them  after  fish,  and  as 
the  weather  is  regular  in  certain  seasons,  they  have  no 
fear.  After  taking  a new  departure  from  Olinda,  we  kept 
off  on  our  way  to  Cape  Horn. 

We  met  with  nothing  remarkable  until  we  were  in  the 
latitude  of  the  river  La  Plata.  Here  there  are  violent 
gales  from  the  southwest,  called  Pomperos,  which  are 
very  destructive  to  the  shipping  in  the  river,  and  are  felt 
for  many  leagues  at  sea.  They  are  usually  preceded  by 
lightning.  The  captain  told  the  mates  to  keep  a bright 
look-out,  and  if  they  saw  lightning  at  the  southwest,  to 
take  in  sail  at  once.  We  got  the  first  touch  of  one  during 
my  watch  on  deck.  I was  walking  in  the  lee  gangway, 
and  thought  that  I saw  lighting  on  the  bow.  I told  the 
second  mate,  who  came  over  and  looked  out  for  some 
time.  It  was  very  black  in  the  southwest,  and  in  about 
ten  minutes  we  saw  a distinct  flash.  The  wind,  which  had 
been  southeast,  had  now  left  us,  and  it  was  dead  calm. 
We  sprang  aloft  immediately  and  furled  the  royals  and 
top-gallant-sails,  and  took  in  the  flying  jib,  hauled  up  the 
mainsail  and  trysail,  squared  the  after  yards,  and  awaited 
the  attack.  A huge  mist  capped  with  black  cloud  came 
driving  towards  us,  extending  over  that  quarter  of  the 
horizon,  and  covering  the  stars,  which  shone  brightly  in 
the  other  part  of  the  heavens.  It  came  upon  us  at  once 
with  a blast,  and  a shower  of  hail  and  rain,  which  almost 
took  our  breath  from  us.  The  hardiest  was  obliged  to 
turn  his  back.  We  let  the  halyards  run,  and  fortunately 
were  not  taken  aback.  The  little  vessel  “ paid  off  ” from 
the  wind,  and  ran  on  for  some  time  directly  before  it, 
tearing  through  the  water  with  everything  flying.  Having 
called  all  hands,  we  close  reefed  the  top-sails  and  try- 
sail, furled  the  courses  and  jib,  set  the  fore-top-mast  stay-, 
sail,  and  brought  her  up  nearly  to  her  course,  with  the 
weather  braces  hauled  in  a little,  to  ease  her. 

This  was  the  first  blow,  that  I had  seen,  which  could 
really  be  called  a gale.  We  had  reefed  our  topsails  in  the 
Gulf  Stream,  and  I thought  it  something  serious,  but  an 
older  sailor  would  have  thought  nothing  of  it.  As  I had 
now  become  used  to  the  vessel  and  to  my  duty,  I was  of 
some  service  on  a yard,  and  could  knot  my  reef-point  as 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*5 

well  as  anybody,  I obeyed  the  order  to  lay*  aloft  with  the 
rest,  and  found  the  reefing  a very  exciting  scene  ; for  one 
watch  reefed  the  fore-topsail,  and  the  other  the  main,  and 
everyone  did  his  utmost  to  get  his  topsail  hoisted  first 
We  had  a great  advantage  over  the  larboard  watch,  be 
cause  the  chief  mate  never  goes  aloft,  while  our  new  se- 
cond mate  used  to  jump  into  the  rigging  as  soon  as  we 
began  to  haul  out  the  reef-tackle,  and  have  the  weather 
earing  passed  before  there  was  a man  upon  the  yard.  In 
this  way  we  were  almost  always  able  to  raise  the  cry  of 
“ Haul  out  to  leeward  ” before  them,  and  having  knotted 
our  points,  would  slide  dcwn  the  shrouds  and  back-stays, 
and  sing  out  at  the  topsail  halyards  to  let  it  be  known 
that  we  were  ahead  of  them.  Reefing  is  the  most  ex- 
citing part  of  a sailors  duty.  All  hands  are  engaged 
upon  it,  and  after  the  halyards  are  let  go,  there  is  oo  time 
to  be  lost — no  “ sogering,”  or  hanging  back,  then.  If  one 
is  not  quick  enough,  another  runs  over  him.  The  first  on 
the  yard  goes  to  the  weather  earing,  the  second  to  the 
lee,  and  the  next  two  to  the  “ dog’s  ears  ; ” while  the  others 
lay  along  into  the  bunt,  just  giving  each  other  elbow-room. 
In  reefing,  the  yard-arms  (the  extremes  of  the  yards)  are 
the  posts  of  honor ; but  in  furling,  the  strongest  and  most 
experienced  stand  in  the  slings,  (or,  middle  of  the  yard), 
to  make  up  the  bunt.  If  the  second  mate  is  a smart 
fellow,  he  will  never  let  any  one  take  either  of  these  posts 
from  him ; but  if  he  is  wanting  either  in  seamanship, 
strength,  or  activity,  some  better  man  will  get  the  bunt 
and  earings  from  him ; which  immediately  brings  him  into 
disrepute. 

We  remained  for  the  rest  of  the  night,  and  throughout 
the  next  day,  under  the  same  close  sail,  for  it  continued 
to  blow  very  fresh ; and  though  we  had  no  more  hail,  yet 
there  was  a soaking  rain,  and  it  was  quite  cold  and  un 
comfortable  ; the  more  so,  because  we  were  not  prepared 
for  cold  weather,  but  had  on  our  thin  clothes.  We  were 

•This  word  u lay,”  which  is  in  such  general  use  on  board  ship,  be- 
ing used  in  giving  orders  instead  of  “go;”  as  R' Lay  forward!** 
u Lay  aft  I M “Lay  aloft!  ” etc.,  I do  not  understand  to  be  the  neutei 
verb  lie , mispronounced,  but  to  be  the  active  verb  lay , with  the  ob- 
jective case  understood ; as,  u Lay  yourselves  forward ! ” Lay  your 
•elves  aft  1 ” etc. 


2D 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


glad  to  get  a watch  below,  and  put  on  our  thick  clothing, 
boots,  and  south-westers.  Towards  sundown  the  gale 
moderated  a little,  and  it  began  to  clear  off  in  the  south- 
west. We  shook  our  reefs  out,  one  by  one,  and  before 
midnight  had  top-gallant  sails  upon  her. 

We  had  now  made  up  our  minds  for  Cape  Horn  and 
cold  weather,  and  entered  upon  every  necessary  prepara- 
tion. 

Tuesday , Nov.  \th.  At  daybreak,  saw  land  upon  our 
larboard  quarter.  There  were  two  islands,  of  different 
size  but  of  the  same  shape ; rather  high,  beginning  low  at 
the  waters  edge,  and  running  with  a curved  ascent  to  the 
middle.  They  were  so  far  off  as  to  be  of  a deep  blue 
color,  and  in  a few  hours  we  sank  them  in  the  northeast. 
These  were  the  Falkland  Islands.  We  had  run  between 
them  and  the  main  land  of  Patagonia.  At  sunset  the 
second  mate,  who  was  at  the  masthead,  said  that  he  saw 
land  on  the  starboard  bow.  This  must  have  been  the 
island  of  Staten  Land  ; and  we  were  now  in  the  region  of 
Cape  Horn,  with  a fine  breeze  from  the  northward,  top- 
mast and  top-gallant  studding-sails  set,  and  every  pros- 
pect of  a speedy  and  pleasant  passage  round. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Wednesday,  Nov.  5TH.  The  weather  was  fine  during 
♦he  previous  night,  and  we  had  a clear  view  of  the  Magel- 
lan Clouds,  and  of  the  Southern  Cross.  The  Magellan 
clouds  consist  of  three  small  nebulse  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  heavens, — two  bright,  like  the  milky-way,  and  one 
dark.  These  are  first  seen,  just  above  the  horizon,  soon 
after  crossing  the  southern  tropic.  When  off  Cape  Horn, 
the/  are  nearly  over  head.  The  cross  is  composed  of  four 
sta  s in  that  form,  and  is  said  to  be  the  brightest  constel- 
lation in  the  heavens. 

During  the  first  part  of  this  day  (Wednesday)  the  wind 
was  light,  but  after  noon  it  came  on  fresh,  and  we  furled 
the  royals.  We  still  kept  the  studding-sails  out,  and  the 
captain  said  he  should  go  round  with  them,  if  he  could. 
Just  before  eight  o’clock  (then  about  sun-down,  in  that 


mm  m total 

SHOWN  AT- TQ? 


I A aooo.401 

I A 0.000.02  + 

'I  A 0.000.33  S 

i a mm.27  + 

I A 0.000.11  + 

8 3 3 7 2 7 65 

ij. 

DRUG  STORES 


-J 7 07  V 07-  0? 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


27 


latitude)  the  cry  of  “ All  hands  ahoy ! ” was  sounded 
down  the  fore  scuttle  and  the  after  hatchway,  and  hurry- 
ing upon  deck,  we  found  a large  black  cloud  rolling  on 
toward  us  from  the  southwest,  and  blackening  the  whole 
heavens.  “ Here  comes  Cape  Horn  ! ” said  the  chief 
mate ; and  we  had  hardly  time  to  haul  down  and  clew  up, 
before  it  was  upon  us.  In  a few  moments,  a heavier  sea 
was  raised  than  I had  ever  seen  before,  and  as  it  was 
directly  ahead,  the  little  brig,  which  was  no  better  than  a 
bathing  machine,  plunged  into  it,  and  all  the  forward  part 
of  her  was  under  water ; the  sea  pouring  in  through  the 
bow-ports  and  hawse-hole  and  over  the  knight-heads, 
threatening  to  wash  everything  overboard.  In  the  lee 
scuppers  it  was  up  to  a man’s  waist.  We  sprang  aloft  and 
double  reefed  the  topsails,  and  furled  all  the  other  sails, 
and  made  all  snug.  But  this  would  not  do  ; the  brig  was 
laboring  and  straining  against  the  head  sea,  and  the  gale 
was  growing  worse  and  worse.  At  the  same  time  sleet 
and  hail  were  driving  with  all  fury  against  us.  We  clewed 
down,  and  hauled  out  the  reef-tackles  again,  and  close- 
reefed  the  fore-topsail,  and  furled  the  main,  and  hove  her 
to  on  the  starboard  tack.  Here  was  an  end  to  our  fine 
prospects.  We  made  up  our  minds  to  head  winds  and 
cold  weather;  sent  down  the  royal  yards  and  unrove  the 
gear;  but  all  the  rest  of  the  top  hamper  remained  aloft, 
even  to  the  sky-sail  mast’s  and  studding-sail  boom. 

Throughout  the  night  it  stormed  violently — rain,  hail, 
snow,  and  sleet  beating  upon  the  vessel — the  wind  con- 
tinuing ahead,  and  the  sea  running  high.  At  day-break 
(about  three,  A.  M.)  the  deck  was  covered  with  snow. 
The  captain  sent  up  the  steward  with  a glass  of  grog  to 
each  of  the  watch  ; and  all  the  time  that  we  were  off  the 
Cape,  grog  was  given  to  the  morning  watch,  and  to  all 
hands  whenever  we  reefed  topsails.  The  clouds  cleared 
away  at  sunrise,  and  the  wind  becoming  more  fair,  we 
again  made  and  stood  nearly  up  to  our  course. 

Thursday  Nov . 6th,  It  continued  more  pleasant 
through  the  first  part  of  the  day,  but  at  night  we  had  the 
same  scene  over  again.  This  time,  we  did  not  heave  to, 
as  on  the  night  before,  but  endeavored  to  beat  the  wind- 
ward under  close-reefed  topsails,  balance-reefed  trysail, 
and  fore  top-mast  staysail.  This  night  it  was  my  turn  to 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


2& 

Bteer,  or,  as  the  sailors  say,  my  trick  at  the  helm,  for 
two  hours.  Inexperienced  as  I was,  I made  out  to  steer 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  officer,  and  neither  S nor  my- 

self gave  up  our  tricks,  all  the  time  that  we  were  off  the 
Cape.  This  was  something  to  boast  of,  for  it  req  i'res  a 
good  deal  of  skill  and  watchfulness  to  steer  a vessel  close 
hauled,  in  a gale  of  wind,  against  a heavy  head  sea. 
“ Ease  her  when  she  pitches,”  is  the  word ; and  a little 
carelessness  in  letting  her  ship  a heavy  sea,  might  sweep 
the  decks,  or  knock  the  masts  out  of  her. 

Friday  Nov . 7th.  Towards  morning  the  wind  went 
down,  and  during  the  whole  forenoon  we  lay  tossing  about 
in  a dead  calm,  and  in  the  midst  of  a thick  fog.  The 
calms  here  are  unlike  those  in  most  parts  of  the  world,  for 
there  is  always  such  a high  sea  running,  and  the  periods 
of  calm  are  so  short,  that  it  has  no  time  to  go  down  ; and 
vessels,  being  under  no  command  of  sails  or  rudder,  lie 
like  logs  upon  the  water.  We  were  obliged  to  steady  the 
booms  and  yards  by  guys  and  bracks,  and  to  lash  every- 
thing well  below.  We  now  found  our  top  hamper  of  some 
use,  for  though  it  is  liable  to  be  carried  away  or  sprung 
by  the  sudden  “ bringing  up”  of  a vessel  when  pitching  in 
a chopping  sea,  yet  it  is  a great  help  in  steadying  a vessel 
when  rolling  in  a long  swell ; giving  more  slowness,  ease, 
and  regularity  to  the  motion. 

The  calm  of  the  morning  reminds  me  of  a scene  which 
I forgot  to  describe  at  the  time  of  its  occurrence,  but 
which  I remember  from  its  being  the  first  time  that  I had 
heard  the  near  breathing  of  whales.  It  was  on  the  night 
that  we  passed  between  the  Falkland  Islands  and  Staten 
Land.  We  had  the  watch  from  twelve  to  four,  and  com- 
ing upon  deck,  found  the  little  brig  lying  perfectly  still, 
surrounded  by  a thick  fog,  and  the  sea  as  smooth  as 
though  oil  had  been  poured  upon  it ; yet  now  and  then  a 
long,  low  swell  rolling  over  its  surface  slightly  lifting  the  ves- 
sel, but  without  breaking  the  glassy  smoothness  of  the  water. 
We  were  surrounded  far  and  near  by  shoals  of  sluggish 
whales  and  grampuses,  which  the  fog  prevented  our  see- 
ing, rising  slowly  to  the  surface,  or  perhaps  lying  out  at 
length,  heaving  out  those  peculiar  lazy,  deep,  and  long- 
drawn  breathings  which  give  such  an  impression  of  supine- 
oess  and  strength.  Some  of  the  watch  were  asleep,  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


29 


the  others  were  perfectly  still,  so  that  there  was  nothing  to 
break  the  illusion,  and  1 stood  leaning  over  the  bulwarks, 
listening  to  the  slow  breathings  of  the  mighty  creatures — • 
now  one  breaking  the  water  just  alongside,  whose  black 
body  I almost  fancied  that  I could  see  through  the  fog; 
and  again  another,  which  I could  just  hear  in  the  distance 
* — until  the  low  and  regular  swell  seemed  like  the  heaving 
of  the  ocean’s  mighty  bosom  to  the  sound  of  its  heavy  and 
long-drawn  respirations. 

Towards  the  evening  of  this  day,  (Friday  7th,)  the  fog 
cleared  off,  and  we  had  every  appearance  of  a cold  blow; 
and  soon  after  sun-down  it  came  on.  Again  it  was  clew 
up  and  haul  down,  reef  and  furl,  until  we  had  got  her 
down  to  close-reefed  topsails,  double-reefed  trysail,  and 
reefed  fore  spenser.  Snow,  hail,  and  sleet  were  driving 
upon  us  most  of  the  night,  and  the  sea  breaking  over  the 
bows  and  covering  the  forward  part  of  the  little  vessel ; 
but  as  she  would  lay  her  course  the  captain  refused  to 
heave  her  to. 

Saturday,  Nov . 8 th.  This  day  commenced  with  calm 
and  thick  fog,  and  ended  with  hail,  snow,  a violent  wind, 
and  close-reefed  topsails. 

Sunday , Nov.  gth.  To-day  the  sun  rose  clear,  and 
continued  so  until  twelve  o’clock,  when  the  captain  got  an 
observation.  This  was  very  well  for  Cape  Horn,  and  we 
thought  it  a little  remarkable  that,  as  we  had  not  had  one 
unpleasant  Sunday  during  the  whole  voyage,  the  only 
tolerable  day  here  should  be  a Sunday.  We  got  time  to 
clear  up  the  steerage  and  forecastle,  and  set  things  to 
rights,  and  to  overhaul  our  wet  clothes  a little.  But  this 
did  not  last  very  long.  Between  five  and  six — the  sun 
was  then  nearly  three  hours  high — the  cry  of  “All  star- 
bowlines  ahoy!  ” summoned  our  watch  on  deck  ; and  im- 
mediately all  hands  were  called.  A true  specimen  of 
Cape  Horn  was  coming  upon  us.  A great  cloud  of  a dark 
slate-color  was  driving  on  us  from  the  southwest ; and  we 
did  our  best  to  take  in  sail  (for  the  light  sails  had  been  set 
during  the  first  part  of  the  day),  before  we  were  in  the 
midst  of  it.  We  had  got  the  light  sails  furled,  the  courses 
hauled  up,  and  the  topsail  reef-tackles  hauled  ouf,  and 
were  just  mounting  the  fore-rigging,  when  the  storm  struck 
us.  In  an  instant  the  sea,  which  had  been  comparatively 


3° 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


quiet,  was  running  higher  and  higher ; and  it  became 
almost  as  dark  as  night.  The  hail  and  sleet  were  harder 
than  I had  yet  felt  them  ; seeming  almost  to  pin  us  down 
to  the  rigging.  We  were  longer  taking  in  sail  than  ever 
before  ; for  the  sails  were  stiff  and  wet,  the  ropes  and  rig- 
ging covered  with  snow  and  sleet,  and  we  ourselves  cold 
and  nearly  blinded  with  the  violence  of  the  storm.  By 
the  time  we  had  got  down  upon  deck  again,  the  little  brig 
was  plunging  madly  into  a tremendous  head  sea,  which  at 
every  drive  rushed  in  through  the  bow-ports  and  over  the 
bows,  and  buried  all  the  forward  part  of  the  vessel.  At 
this  instant  the  chief  mate,  who  was  standing  on  the  top 
of  the*  windlass,  at  the  foot  of  the  spenser  mast,  called  out, 
“ Lay  out  there  and  furl  the  jib  ! ” This  was  no  agreeable 
or  safe  duty,  yet  it  must  be  done.  An  old  Swede  (the 
best  sailor  on  board),  who  belonged  on  the  forecastle, 
sprang  out  upon  the  bowsprit.  Another  one  must  go  : I 
was  near  the  mate,  and  sprang  forward,  threw  the  down- 
haul  over  the  windlass,  and  jumped  between  the  knight- 
heads  out  upon  the  bowsprit.  The  crew  stood  abaft  the 
windlass  and  hauled  the  jib  down,  while  we  got  out  upon 
the  weather  side  of  the  jib-boom,  our  feet  on  the  foot-ropes, 
holding  on  by  the  spar,  the  great  jib  flying  off  to  leeward 
and  slatting  so  as  almost  to  throw  us  off  of  the  boom.  For 
some  time  we  could  do  nothing  but  hold  on,  and  the 
vessel  diving  into  two  huge  seas,  one  after  the  other, 
plunged  us  twice  into  the  water  up  to  our  chins.  We 
hardly  knew  whether  we  were  on  or  off ; when  coming  up, 
dripping  from  the  water,  we  were  raised  high  into  the  air. 
John  (that  was  the  sailor’s  name)  thought  the  boom  would 
go,  every  moment,  and  called  out  to  the  mate  to  keep  the 
vessel  off,  and  haul  down  the  staysail ; but  the  fury  of  the 
wind  and  the  breaking  of  the  seas  against  the  bows  defied 
every  attempt  to  make  ourselves  heard,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  do  the  best  we  could  in  our  situation.  Fortun- 
ately, no  other  seas  so  heavy  struck  her,  and  we  succeeded 
in  furling  the  jib  “ after  a fashion  ; ” and,  coming  in  over 
the  staysail  nettings,  were  not  a little  pleased  to  find  that 
all  was  snug,  and  the  watch  gone  below;  for  we  were 
soaked  through,  and  it  was  very  cold.  The  weather  con- 
tinued nearly  the  same  through  the  night. 

Monday , Nov.  io th.  During  a part  of  this  day  wo 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


31 


were  hove  to,  but  the  rest  of  the  time  were  driving  on,  un 
der  close-reefed  sails,  with  a heavy  sea,  a strong  gale,  and 
frequent  squalls  of  hail  and  snow. 

lilies  day,  Nov.  1 ith.  The  same. 

Wednesday.  The  same. 

Thursday . The  same. 

We  had  now  got  hardened  to  Cape  weather,  the  vessel 
was  under  reduced  sail,  and  everything  secured  on  deck 
and  below,  so  that  we  had  little  to  do  but  to  steer  and  to 
stand  our  watch.  Our  clothes  were  all  wet  through,  and 
the  only  change  was  from  wet  to  more  wet.  It  was  in 
vain  to  think  of  reading  or  working  below,  for  we  were 
too  tired,  the  hatchways  were  closed  down,  and  everything 
was  wet  and  uncomfortable,  black  and  dirty,  heaving  and 
pitching.  We  had  only  to  come  below  when  the  watch 
was  out,  wring  out  our  wet  clothes,  hang  them  up,  and 
turn  in  and  sleep  as  soundly  as  we  could,  until  the  watch 
was  called  again.  A sailor  can  sleep  anywhere — no  sound 
of  wind,  water,  wood  or  iron  can  keep  him  awake — and 
we  were  always  fast  asleep  when  three  blows  on  the  hatch- 
way, and  the  unwelcome  cry  of  “ All  starbowlines  ahoy  ! 
eight  bells  there  below ! do  you  hear  the  news  ? ” (the 
usual  formula  of  calling  the  watch),  roused  us  up  from  our 
berths  upon  the  cold,  wet  decks.  The  only  time  when  we 
could  be  said  to  take  any  pleasure  was  at  night  and  morn- 
ing, when  we  were  allowed  a tin  pot  full  of  hot  tea  (or,  as 
the  sailors  significantly  call  it,  “ water  bewitched  ”), 
sweetened  with  molasses.  This,  bad  as  it  was,  was  still 
warm  and  comforting,  and,  together  with  our  sea  biscuit 
and  cold  salt  beef,  made  quite  a meal.  Yet  even  this 
meal  was  attended  with  some  uncertainty.  We  had  to  go 
ourselves  to  the  galley  and  take  our  kid  of  beef  and  tin 
pots  of  tea,  and  run  the  risk  of  losing  them  before  we 
could  get  below.  Many  a kid  of  beef  have  I seen  rolling 
in  the  scuppers,  and  the  bearer  lying  at  his  length  on  the 
decks.  I remember  an  English  lad  who  was  always  the 
life  of  the  crew,  but  whom  we  afterwards  lost  overboard, 
standing  for  nearly  ten  minutes  at  the  galley,  with  his  pot 
of  tea  in  his  hand,  waiting  for  a chance  to  get  down  into 
the  forecastle  ; and  seeing  what  he  thought  was  a “ smooth 
spell,”  started  to  go  forward.  He  had  just  got  to  the  end 
of  the  windlass,  when  a great  sea  broke  over  the  bows, 


3 2 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


and  for  a moment  I saw  nothing  of  him  but  his  head  and 
shoulders  ; and  at  the  next  instant,  being  taken  off  of  his 
legs,  he  was  carried  aft  with  the  sea,  until  her  stern  lifting 
up  and  sending  the  water  forward,  he  was  left  high  and 
dry  at  the  side  of  the  long-boat,  still  holding  on  to  his  tin 
pot,  which  had  now  nothing  in  it  but  salt  water.  But 
nothing  could  ever  daunt  him,  or  overcome,  for  a moment, 
his  habitual  good  humor.  Regaining  his  legs,  and  shaking 
his  fist  at  the  man  at  the  wheel,  he  rolled  below,  saying, 
as  he  passed,  “ A man’s  no  sailor,  if  he  can’t  take  a joke.” 
The  ducking  was  not  the  worst  of  such  an  affair,  for,  as 
there  was  an  allowance  of  tea,  you  could  get  no  more 
from  the  galley  ; and  though  the  sailors  would  never  suffer 
a man  to  go  without,  but  would  always  turn  in  a little 
from  their  own  pots  to  fill  up  his,  yet  this  was  at  best  but 
dividing  the  loss  among  all  hands. 

Something  of  the  same  kind  befell  me  a few  days  after. 
The  cook  had  just  made  for  us  a mess  of  hot  “ scouse” — 
that  is,  biscuit  pounded  fine,  salt  beef  cut  into  small  pieces, 
and  a few  potatoes  boiled  up  together  and  seasoned  with- 
pepper.  This  was  a rare  treat,  and  I,  being  the  last  at  the  gal- 
ley, had  it  put  in  my  charge  to  carry  down  for  the  mess.  I 
got  along  very  well  as  far  as  the  hatchway,  and  was  just  get- 
ting down  the  steps,  when  a heavy  sea,  lifting  the  stern  out  of 
water,  and  passing  forward,  dropping  it  down  again,  threw 
the  steps  from  their  place,  and  I came  down  into  the 
steerage  a little  faster  than  I meant  to,  with  the  kid  on  top 
of  me,  and  the  whole  precious  mess  scattered  over  the 
floor.  Whatever  your  feelings  may  be,  you  must  make  a 
joke  of  everything  at  sea;  and  if  you  were  to  fall  from 
aloft  and  be  caught  in  the  belly  of  a sail,  and  thus  saved 
from  instant  death,  it  would  not  do  to  look  at  all  disturbed, 
or  to  make  a serious  matter  of  it. 

l?riday  Nov  i\th . We  were  now  well  to  the  westward 
of  the  Cape,  and  were  changing  our  course  to  the  north- 
ward as  much  as  we  dared,  since  the  strong  southwest 
winds,  wdiich  prevailed  then,  carried  us  in  towards  Pata- 
gonia. At  two,  P.  M.,  we  saw  a sail  on  our  larboard  beam, 
and  at  four  wre  made  it  out  to  be  a large  ship,  steering  our 
course,  under  single-reefed  topsails.  We  at  that  time 
had  shaken  the  reefs  out  of  our  topsails,  as  the  wand  was 
lighter,  and  set  the  main  top-gallant  sail.  As  soon  as  our 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


33 


captain  saw  what  sail  she  was  under,  he  set  the  fore  top- 
gallant sail  and  flying  jib  ; and  the  old  whaler — for  such 
his  boats  and  short  sail  showed  him  to  be — felt  a little 
ashamed,  and  shook  the  reefs  out  of  his  topsails,  but  could 
do  no  more,  for  he  had  sent  down  his  top-gallant  masts 
off  the  Cape.  He  ran  down  for  us,  and  answered  our  hail 
as  the  whale-ship,  New-England,  of  Poughkeepsie,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  days  from  New  York.  Our  captain 
gave  our  name,  and  added,  ninety* two  days  from  Boston. 
They  then  had  a little  conversation  about  longitude  in 
which  they  found  that  they  could  not  agree,  The  ship 
fell  astern,  and  continued  in  sight  during  the  night.  To- 
ward morning,  the  wind  having  become  light,  we  crossed 
our  royal  and  skysail  yards,  and  at  daylight,  we  were  seen 
under  a cloud  of  sail,  having  royals  and  skysails  fore  and  aft. 
The  “ spurter,’  as  the  sailors  call  a whaleman,  had  sent  up  his 
main  top-gallant  mast  and  set  the  sail,  and  made  signal  for 
us  to  heave  to.  About  half-past  seven  their  whale  boat  came 
alongside,  and  Captain  Job  Terry  sprang  on  board,  a 
man  known  in  every  port  and  by  every  vessel  in  the 
Pacific  ocean.  “ Don’t  you  know  Job  Terry  ? I thought 
everybody  knew  Job  Terry,”  said  a green-hand,  who  came 
in  the  boat,  to  me,  when  I asked  him  about  his  captain. 
He  was  indeed  a singular  man.  He  was  six  feet  high, 
wore  thick,  cowhide  boots,  and  brown  coat  and  trowsers, 
and,  except  a sun-burnt  complexion,  had  not  the  slightest 
appearance  of  a sailor ; yet  he  had  been  forty  years  in  the 
whale  trade,  and,  as  he  said  himself,  had  owned  ships,  and 
built  ships,  and  sailed  ships.  His  boat’s  crew  were  a pretty 
raw  set, just  out  of  the  bush,  and,  as  the  sailor’s  phrase  is, 
“ hadn’t  got  the  hayseed  out  of  their  hair.”  Captain  Terry 
convinced  our  captain  that  our  reckoning  was  a little  out, 
and,  having  spent  the  day  on  board,  put  off  in  his  boat  at 
sunset  for  his  ship,  which  was  now  six  or  eight  miles  astern. 
He  began  a u yarn”  when  he  came  aboard,  which  lasted, 
with  but  little  intermission,  for  four  hours.  It  was  all 
about  himself,  and  the  Peruvian  government,  and  the 
Dublin  frigate,  and  Lord  James  Townshend,  and  President 
Jackson,  and  the  ship  Ann  M’Kim  of  Baltimore.  It 
would  probably  never  have  come  to  an  end,  had  not  a 
good  breeze  sprung  up,  which  sent  him  off  to  his  own 
vessel.  One  of  the  lads  who  came  in  his  boat,  a throughly 


34 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


countrified-looking  fellow,  seemed  to  care  very  little  about 
the  vessel,  rigging,  or  anything  else,  but  went  round  look- 
ing at  the  live  stock,  and  leaned  over  the  pig-sty,  and 
said  he# wished  he  was  back  again  tending  his  father’s  pigs. 

At  eight  o’clock  we  altered  our  courses  to  the  north- 
ward, bound  for  Juan  Fernandez. 

This  day  we  saw  the  last  of  the  albatrosses,  which  had 
been  our  companions  a great  part  of  the  time  off  the  Cape. 
I had  been  interested  in  the  bird  from  descriptions  which 
I had  read  of  it,  and  was  not  all  disappointed.  We  caught 
one  or  two  with  a baited  hook  which  we  floated  astern 
upon  a shingle.  Their  long,  flapping  wings  long  legs, 
and  large,  staring  eyes,  give  them  a very  peculiar  ap- 
pearance. They  look  well  on  the  wing : but  one  of 
the  finest  sights  that  I have  ever  seen,  was  an  albatross 
asleep  upon  the  water,  during  a calm,  off  Cape  Horn,  when 
a heavy  sea  was. running.  There  being  no  breeze,  the  sur- 
face of  the  water  was  unbroken,  but  a long,  heavy  swell  was 
rolling,  and  we  saw  the  fellow,  all  white,  directly  a- 
head  of  us,  asleep  upon  the  waves,  with  his  head  under 
his  wing ; now  rising  on  the  top  of  a huge  billow,  and 
then  falling  slowly  until  he  was  lost  in  the  hollow  be- 
tween. He  was  undisturbed  for  some  time,  until  the  noise 
of  our  bows,  gradually  approaching  roused  him,  when,  lift- 
ing his  head,  he  stared  upon  us  for  a moment,  and  then 
spread  his  wide  wings  and  took  his  flight. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Monday,  Nov.  19TH.  This  was  a black  day  in  our 
calendar.  At  seven  o’clock  in  the  morning,  it  being  our 
watch  below,  we  were  aroused  from  a sound  sleep  by  the 
cry  of  “ All  hands  ahoy!  a man  over  board  !”  This  un- 
wonted cry  sent  a thrill  through  the  heart  of  every  one, 
and  hurrying  on  deck,  we  found  the  vessel  hove  flat  aback, 
with  all  her  studding-sails  set ; for  the  boy  who  was  at  the 
helm  left  it  to  throw  some  thing  overboard,  and  the  car- 
penter, who  was  an  old  sailor,  knowing  that  the  wind  was 
light,  put  the  helm  down  and  hove  her  aback.  The  watch 
on  deck  were  lowering  away  the  quarter-boat,  and  I got 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


35 


on  deck  just  in  time  to  heave  myself  into  her  as  she  was 
leaving  the  side  ; but  it  was  not  until  out  upon  the  wide 
Pacific,  in  our  little  boat,  that  I knew  whom  we  had  lost. 
It  was  George  Ballmer,  a young  English  sailor,  who  was 
prized  by  the  officers  as  an  active  and  willing  seaman,  and 
by  the  crew  as  a lively,  hearty  fellow,  and  a good  shipmate. 
He  was  going  aloft  to  fit  a strap  round  the  main  top-mast- 
head, for  ringtail  halyards,  and  had  the  strap  and  block, 
a coil  of  halyards,  and  a marline-spike  about  his  neck. 
He  fell  from  the  starboard  futtoek  shrouds,  and  not  know- 
ing how  to  swim,  and  being  heavily  dressed,  with  all  those 
things  round  his  neck,  he  probably  sank  immediately.  We 
pulled  astern,  in  the  direction  in  which  he  fell,  and 
though  we  knew  that  there  was  no  hope  of  saving  him, 
yet  no  one  wished  to  speak  of  returning,  and  we  rowed 
about  for  nearly  an  hour,  without  the  hope  of  doing  any- 
thing, but  unwilling  to  acknowledge  to  ourselves  that  we 
must  give  him  up.  At  length  we  turned  the  boat’s  head 
and  made  towards  the  vessel. 

Death  is  at  all  times  solemn,  but  never  so  much  so  as 
at  sea.  A man  dies  on  shore  ; his  body  remains  with  his 
friends,  and  “ the  mourners  go  about  the  streets ; ” but 
when  a man  falls  over-board  at  sea  and  is  lost,  there  is  a 
suddenness  in  the  event,  and  a difficulty  in  realizing  it, 
which  give  to  it  an  air  of  awful  mystery.  A man  dies  on 
shore — you  follow  his  body  to  the  grave,  and  a stone 
marks  the  spot.  You  are  often  prepared  for  the  event. 
There  is  always  something  which  helps  you  to  realize  it 
when  it  happens,  and  to  recall  it  when  it  has  passed.  A 
man  is  shot  down  by  your  side  in  battle,  and  the  mangled 
body  remains  an  object,  and  a real  evidence  ; but  at  sea,  the 
man  is  near  you — at  your  side — you  hear  his  voice,  and 
in  an  instant  he  is  gone,  and  nothing  but  a vacaiicy  shows 
his  loss.  Then,  too,  at  sea — to  use  a homely  but  expres- 
sive phrase — you  miss  a man  so  much.  A dozen  men  are 
shut  up  together  in  a little  bark,  upon  the  wide,  wide  sea, 
and  for  months  and  months  see  no  forms  and  hear  no 
voices  but  their  own,  and  one  is  taken  suddenly  from 
among  them,  and  they  miss  him  at  every  turn.  It  is  like 
losing  a limb.  There  are  no  new  faces  or  new  scenes  to 
fill  up  the  gap.  There  is  always  an  empty  berth  in  the 
forecastle,  and  one  man  wanting  when  the  small  night 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


36 

watch  is  mustered.  There  is  one  less  to  take  the  wheel, 
and  one  less  to  lay  out  with  you  upon  the  yard.  You  miss 
his  form,  and  the  sound  of  his  voice,  for  habit  had  made 
them  almost  necessary  to  you,  and  each  of  your  senses 
feels  the  loss. 

All  these  things  make  such  a death  peculiarly  solemn, 
and  the  effect  of  it  remains  upon  the  crew  for  some  time. 
There  is  more  kindness  shown  by  the  officers  to  the  crew, 
and  by  the  crew  to  one  another.  There  is  more  quietness 
and  seriousness.  The  oath  and  the  loud  laugh  are  gone. 
The  officers  are  more  watchful,  and  the  crew  go  more 
carefully  aloft.  The  lost  man  is  seldom  mentioned,  or  is 
dismissed  with  a sailors  rude  eulogy — “ Well,  poor  George 
is  gone  ! His  cruise  is  up  soon  ! He  knew  his  work,  and 
did  his  duty,  and  was  a good  shipmate.”  Then  usually 
follows  some  allusion  to  another  world,  for  sailors  are 
almost  all  believers  ; but  their  notions  and  opinions  are 
unfixed  and  at  loose  ends.  They  say, — “ God  won’t  be 
hard  upon  the  poor  fellow,”  and  seldom  get  beyond  the 
common  phrase  which  seems  to  imply  that  their  suffer- 
ings and  hard  treatment  here  will  excuse  them  hereafter, 
— “ 'Fo  work  hard , live  hard,  die  hard \ and  go  to  hell  after 
all,  would  be  hard  indeed l ” Our  cook,  a simple-hearted 
old  African,  who  had  been  through  a good  deal  in  his  day, 
and  was  rather  seriously  inclined,  always  going  to  church 
twice  a day  when  on  shore,  and  reading  his  Bible  on  a 
Sunday  in  the  galley,  talked  to  the  crew  about  spending 
their  Sabbaths  badly,  and  told  them  that  they  might  go  as 
suddenly  as  George  had,  and  be  as  little  prepared. 

Yet  a sailor’s  life  is  at  best  but  a mixture  of  a little 
good  with  much  evil  and  a little  pleasure  with  much  pain. 
The  beautiful  is  linked  with  the  revolting,  the  sublime  with 
the  common-place,  and  the  solemn  with  the  ludicrous. 

We  had  hardly  returned  on  board  with  our  sad  report, 
before  an  auction  was  held  of  the  poor  man’s  clothes. 
The  captain  had  first,  however,  called  all  hands  aft  and 
asked  them  if  they  were  satisfied  that  everything  had  been 
done  to  save  the  man,  and  if  they  thought  there  was  any 
use  in  remaining  there  longer.  The  crew  all  said  that  i* 
was  in  vain,  for  the  man  did  not  know  how  to  swim,  and 
was  veFy  heavily  dressed.  So  we  then  filled  away  and 
kept  her  off  to  her  course. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


37 


The  laws  regulating  navigation  make  the  captain  an- 
swerable for  the  effects  of  a sailor  who  dies  during  the 
voyage,  and  it  is  either  a law  or  a universal  custom,  estab- 
lished for  convenience,  that  the  captain  should  immedi- 
ately hold  an  auction  of  his  things,  in  which  they  are  bid 
off  by  the  sailors,  and  the  sums  which  they  give  are 
deducted  from  their  wages  at  the  end  of  the  voyage.  In 
this  way  the  trouble  and  risk  of  keeping  his  things  through 
the  voyage  are  avoided,  and  the  clothes  are  usually  sold 
for  more  than  they  would  be  worth  on  shore.  Accordingly, 
we  had  no  sooner  got  the  ship  before  the  wind,  than  his 
chest  was  brought  up  upon  the  forecastle,  and  the  sale 
began.  The  jackets  and  trowsers  in  which  we  had  seen 
him  dressed  but  a few  days  before,  were  exposed  and  bid 
off  while  the  life  was  hardly  out  of  his  body,  and  his  chest 
was  taken  aft  and  used  as  a store-chest,  so  that  there  was 
nothing  left  which  could  be  called  his.  Sailors  have  an 
unwillingness  to  wear  a dead  man’s  clothes  during  the 
same  voyage,  and  they  seldom  do  so  unless  they  are  in 
absolute  want. 

As  is  usual  after  a death,  many  stories  were  told  about 
George.  Some  had  heard  him  say  that  he  repented  never 
having  learned  to  swim,  and  that  he  knew  that  he  should 
meet  his  death  by  drowning.  Another  said  that  he  never 
knew  any  good  to  come  of  a voyage  made  against  the  will, 
and  the  deceased  man  shipped  and  spent  his  advance,  and 
was  afterwards  very  unwilling  to  go,  but  not  being  able  to  re- 
fund, was  obliged  to  sail  with  us.  A boy,  too,  who  had  be- 
come quite  attached  to  him,  said  that  George  talked  to  him 
during  most  of  the  watch  on  the  night  before,  about  his 
mother  and  family  at  home,  and  this  was  the  first  time 
that  he  had  mentioned  the  subject  during  the  voyage. 

The  night  after  this  event,  when  I went  to  the  galley 
to  get  a light,  I found  the  cook  inclined  to  be  talkative, 
so  I sat  down  on  the  spars,  and  gave  him  an  opportunity 
to  hold  a yarn.  I was  the  more  inclined  to  do  so,  as  I 
found  that  he  was  full  of  the  superstitions  once  more  com- 
mon among  seamen,  and  which  the  recent  death  had 
waked  up  in  his  mind.  He  talked  about  George’s  having 
spoken  of  his  friends,  and  said  he  believed  few  men  died 
without  having  a warning  of  it,  which  he  supported  by  a 
great  many  stories  of  dreams,  and  the  unusual  behavior 


38  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

of  men  before  death.  From  this  he  went  on  to  other 
superstitions,  the  Flying  Dutchman,  etc.,  and  talked  rather 
mysteriously,  having  something  evidently  on  his  mind.  At 
length  he  put  his  head  out  of  the  galley  and  looked  care 
fully  about  to  see  if  any  one  was  within  hearing,  and  be- 
ing satisfied  on  that  point,  asked  me  in  a low  tone — 

“ I say  ! you  know  what  countryman  ’e  carpenter  be  ? ” 
“Yes,”  said  I ; “he  ’s  a German.” 

“ What  kind  of  a German  ? ” said  the  cook. 

“ He  belongs  to  Bremen,”  said  I. 

4<  Are  you  sure  o’  dat  ? ” said  he. 

I satisfied  him  on  that  point  by  saying  that  he  could 
speak  no  language  but  the  German  and  English. 

“I’m  plaguy  glad  o’  dat,”  said  the  cook.  '“I  was 
was  mighty  ’fraid  he  was  a Fin.  I tell  you  what,  I been 
plaguy  civil  to  that  man  all  the  voyage.” 

1 asked  him  the  reason  of  this,  and  found  that  he  was 
fully  possessed  with  the  notion  that  Fins  are  wizards,  and 
especially  have  power  over  winds  and  storms.  I tried  to 
reason  with  him  about  it,  but  he  had  the  best  of  all  argu- 
ments, that  from  experience,  at  hand,  and  was  not  to  be 
moved.  He  had  been  in  a vessel  at  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
in  which  the  sail-maker  was  a Fin,  and  could  do  anything 
he  was  of  a mind  to.  This  sail-maker  kept  a junk  bottle 
in  his  berth,  which  was  always  just  half  full  of  rum,  though 
he  got  drunk  upon  it  nearly  every  day.  He  had  seen  him 
sit  for  hours  together,  talking  to  this  bottle,  which  he  stood 
up  before  him  on  the  table.  The  same  man  cut  his  throat 
in  his  berth,  and  everybody  said  he  was  possessed. 

He  had  heard  of  ships,  too,  beating  up  the  gulf  of 
Finland  against  a head  wind,  and  having  a ship  heave  in 
sight  astern,  overhaul  and  pass  them,  with  as  fair  a wind 
as  could  blow,  and  all  studding-sails  out,  and  find  she  was 
from  Finland. 

“ Oh  ho  ! ” said  he  ; “ I've  seen  too  much  of  them  men 
to  want  to  see  ’em  ’board  a ship.  If  they  can’t  have  their 

own  way,  they’ll  play  the  d 1 with  you,” 

As  I still  doubted,  he  said  he  would  leave  it  to  John, 
who  was  the  oldest  seaman  aboard,  and  would  know,  if 
anybody  did.  John,  to  be  sure,  was  the  oldest,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  most  ignorant,  man  in  the  ship ; but  I con- 
sented to  have  him  called.  The  cook  stated  the  matter  to 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  RUE  MAST. 


3V 


him,  and  John,  as  I anticipated,  sided  with  the  cook,  and 
said  that  he  himself  had  been  in  a ship  where  they  had  a 
head  wind  for  a fortnight,  and  the  captain  found  out  at 
last  that  one  of  the  men,  whom  he  had  had  some  hard 
words  with  a short  time  before,  was  a Fin,  and  immedi- 
diately  told  him  if  he  didn’t  stop  the  head  wind  he  would 
shut  him  down  in  the  fore  peak.  The  Fin  would  not  give 
in,  and  the  captain  shut  him  down  in  the  fore  peak,  and 
would  not  give  him  anything  to  eat.  The  Fin  hefd  out  for 
a day  and  a half,  when  he  could  not  stand  it  any  longer, 
and  did  something  or  other  which  brought  the  wind  round 
again,  and  they  let  him  up, 

“ There,”  said  the  cook,  “ what  do  you  think  o’  dat  ? ” 

I told  him  I had  no  doubt  it  was  true,  and  that  it 
would  have  been  odd  if  the  wind  had  not  changed  in 
fifteen  days,  Fin  or  no  Fin. 

“ Oh,”  says  he,  “ go  ’way ! You  think,  ’cause  you  been 
to  college  you  know  better  than  anybody.  You  know 
better  than  them  as  ’as  seen  it  with  their  own  eyes.  You 
wait  till  you’ve  been  to  sea  as  long  as  I have,  and  you’ll 
know,” 


CHAPTER  VII. 

We  continued  sailing  along  with  a fair  wind  and  fine 
weather  until 

Tuesday,  Nov.  2$th,  when  at  daylight  we  saw  Jhe 
island  of  Juan  Fernandez,  directly  ahead,  rising  like'  a 
deep  blue  cloud  out  of  the  sea.  We  were  then  probably 
nearly  seventy  miles  from  it ; and  so  high  and  so  blue  did 
it  appear,  that  I mistook  it  #for  a cloud,  resting  over  the 
island,  and  looked  for  the  island  under  it,  until  it  gradually 
turned  to  a deader  and  greener  color,  and  I could  mark 
the  inequalities  upon  its  surface.  'At  length  we  could  dis- 
tinguish trees  and  rocks  ^nd  by,  the  afternoon  this  beau- 
tiful island  lay  fairly  before  us,  arid  we,  directed  our  course 
to  the  only  harbor.  Arriving  at  the  entrance  soon  after 
sundown,  we  found  a Chilian  man-of-war  brig,  the  only 
vessel,  coming  out.  She  hailed  us,  and  an  officer  on 
board,  whom  we  supposed  to  be  an  American,  advised  us 


40 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


to  run  in  before  night,  and  said  that  they  were  bound 
to  Valparaiso.  We  ran  immediately  for  the  anchorage, 
but,  owing  to  the  winds  which  drew  about  the  mountains 
and  came  to  us  in  daws  from  every  point  of  the  compass, 
we  did  not  come  to  an  anchor  until  nearly  midnight.  We 
had  a boat  ahead  all  the  time  that  we  were  working  in, 
and  those  aboard  were  continually  bracing  the  yards 
about  for  every  puff  that  struck  us,  until  about  12  o’clock, 
when  we  came  to  in  40  fathoms  water,  and  our  anchor 
struck  bottom  for  the  first  time  since  we  left  Boston — one 
hundred  and  three  days.  We  were  then  divided  into  three 
watches,  and  thus  stood  out  the  remainder  of  the  night. 

I was  called  on  deck  to  stand  my  watch  at  about  three 
in  the  morning,  and  I shall  never  forget  the  peculiar  sen- 
sation which  I experienced  on  finding  myself  once  more 
surrounded  by  land,  feeling  the  night  breeze  coming  from 
off  shore,  and  hearing  the  frogs  and  crickets.  The  moun- 
tains seemed  almost  to  hang  over  us,  and  apparently  from 
the  very  heart  of  them  there  came  out,  at  regular  intervals, 
a loud  echoing  sound,  which  affected  me  as  hardly  human. 
We  saw  no  lights,  and  coijd -hardly  account  for  the  sound, 
until  the  mate,  who  had  been  tliere  before,  told  us  that  it 
was  the  “Alerta”  of  the  Spanish  soldiers,  who  were 
stationed  over  some  convicts  confined  in  caves  nearly  half 
way  up  the  mountain.  At  the  expiration  of  my  watch 
I went  below,  feeling  not  a little  anxious  for  the  day,  that 
I might  see  more  nearly,  and  perhaps  tread  upon,  this 
romantic,  I may  almost  say,  classic  island. 

When  all  hands  were  called  it  was  nearly  sunrise,  and 
between  that  time  and  breakfast,  although  quite  busy  on 
board  in  getting  up  water-casks,  etc.,  I had  a good  view  of 
the  objects  about  me.  The  harbor  was  nearly  land-locked, 
and  at  the  head  of  it  was  a landing-place,  protected  by  a 
smail  breakwater  of  stones,  upon  which  two  large  boats 
weie  hauled  up,  with  a sentry  standing  over  them.  Near 
this  was  a variety  of  huts  or  cottages,  nearly  an  hundred 
in  number,  the  best  of  them  built  of  mud  and  whitewashed, 
but  the  greater  part  only  Robinson  Crusoe  like — of  posts 
and  branches  of  trees.  The  governor’s  house,  as  it  is 
called,  was  the  most  conspicuous,  being  large,  with  grated 
windows,  plastered  walls,  and  roof  of  red  tiles ; yet,  like 
all  the  rest,  only  of  one  story.  Near  it  was  a small  chapel, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


41 


distinguished  by  a cross : and  a long,  low,  brown-looking 
building,  surrounded  by  something  like  a palisade,  from 
which  an  old  and  dingy-looking  Chilian  flag  was  flying. 
This,  of  course,  was  dignified  by  the  title  of  Presidio.  A 
sentinel  was  stationed  at  the  chapel,  another  at  the  gover- 
nor’s house,  and  a few  soldiers  armed  with  bayonets,  look- 
ing rather  ragged,  with  shoes  out  at  the  toes,  were  strolling 
about  among  the  houses,  or  waiting  at  the  landing-place 
for  our  boat  to  come  ashore. 

The  mountains  were  high,  but  not  so  overhanging  as 
they  appeared  to  be  by  starlight.  They  seemed  to  bear  off 
towards  the  centre  of  the  island,  and  were  green  and  well- 
wooded,  with  some  large,  and,  I am  told,  exceedingly 
fertile  valleys,  with  mule-tracks  leading  to  different  parts 
of  the  island. 

I cannot  here  forget  how  my  friend  S — and  my- 

self got  the  laugh  of  the  crew  upon  us  by  our  eagerness  to 
get  on  shore.  The  captain  having  ordered  the  quarter- 
boat  to  be  lowered,  we  both  sprang  down  into  the  fore- 
castle, filled  our  jacket  pockets  with  tobacco  to  barter  with 
the  people  ashore,  and  when  the  officer  called  for  “ four 
hands  in  the  boat,”  nearly  broke  our  necks  in  our  haste  to 
be  first  over  the  side,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  pulling 
ahead  of  the  brig  with  a tow-line  for  a half  an  hour,  and 
coming  on  board  again  to  be  laughed  at  by  the  crew,  who 
had  seen  our  manoeuvre. 

After  breakfast  the  second  mate  was  ordered  ashore 
with  five  hands  to  fill  the  water- casks,  and  to  my  joy  I was 
among  the  number.  We  pulled  ashore  with  the  empty 
casks  ; and  here  again  fortune  favored  me,  for  the  water 
was  too  thick  and  muddy  to  put  into  the  casks,  and  the 
governor  had  sent  men  up  to  the  head  of  the  stream  to 
clear  it  out  for  us,  which  gave  us  nearly  two  hours  of 
leisure.  This  leisure  we  employed  in  wandering  about 
among  the  houses,  and  eating  a little  fruit  which  was 
offered  to  us.  Ground  apples,  melons,  grapes,  strawberries 
of  an  enormous  size,  and  cherries  abound  here.  The 
latter  are  said  to  have  been  planted  by  Lord  Anson.  The 
soldiers  were  miserably  clad,  and  asked  with  some  interest 
whether  we  had  shoes  to  sell  on  board.  I doubt  very 
much  if  they  had  the  means  of  buying  them.  They  were 
very  eager  to  get  tobacco,  for  which  they  gave  shells, 


42 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  TUE  MAST. 


fruits,  etc  Knives  also  were  in  demand,  but  we  were  for- 
bidden by  the  governor  to  let  any  one  have  them,  as  he 
told  us  that  all  the  people  there,  except  the  soldiers  and  a 
few  officers,  were  convicts  sent  from  Valparaiso,  and  that 
it  was  necessary  to  keep  all  weapons  from  their  hands. 
The  island,  it  seems,  belongs  to  Chili,  and  had  been  used 
by  the  government  as  a sort  of  Botany  Bay  for  nearly  two 
years ; and  the  governor — an  Englishman  who  had 
entered  the  Chilian  navy — with  a priest,  half  a dozen 
task-masters,  and  a body  of  soldiers,  were  stationed  there 
to  keep  them  in  order.  This  was  no  easy  task ; and  only 
a few  months  before  our  arrival,  a few  of  them  had  stolen 
a boat  at  night,  boarded  a brig  lying  in  the  harbor,  sent 
the  captain  and  crew  ashore  in  their  boat  and  gone  off  to 
sea.  We  were  informed  of  this,  and  loaded  our  arms  and 
kept  strict  watch  on  board  Jhrough  the  night,  and  were 
careful  not  to  let  the  convicts  get  our  knives  from  us  when 
on  shore.  The  worst  part  of  the  convicts,  I found,  were 
locked  up  under  sentry  in  caves  dug  into  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  nearly  half  way  up,  with  mule-tracks  leading  to 
them,  whence  they  were  taken  by  day  and  set  to  work 
under  task-masters  upon  building  an  aqueduct,  a wharf, 
and  other  public  works  ; while  the  rest  lived  in  the  houses 
which  they  put  up  for  themselves,  had  their  families  with 
them,  and  seemed  to  me  to  be  the  laziest  people  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  They  did  nothing  but  take  a paseo  into 
the  woods,  a paseo  among  the  houses,  a paseo  at  the  land- 
ing-place, looking  at  us  and  our  vessel,  and  too  lazy  tc 
speak  fast  ; while'  the  others  were  driving — or  rather, 
driven — about,  at  a rapid  trot,  in  single  file,  with  burdens 
on  their  shoulders,  and  followed  up  by  their  task-masters, 
with  long  rods  in  their  hands,  and  broad-brimmed  straw 
hats  upon  their  heads.  Upon  what  precise  grounds  this 
great  distinction  was  made,  I do  not  know,  for  the  gover- 
nor was  the  only  man  who  spoke  English  upon  the  island, 
and  he  was  out  of  my  walk. 

Having  filled  our  casks,  we  returned  on  board,  and 
soon  after,  the  governor,  dressed  in  a uniform  like  that  of 
an  American  militia  officer,  the  Padre,  in  the  dress  of  the 
grey  friars,  with  hood  and  all  complete,  and  the  Capitan , 
with  big  whiskers  and  dirty  regimentals,  came  on  board  to 
dine.  While  at  dinner,  a large  ship  appeared  in  the  offing, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


43 


and  soon  afterwards  we  saw  a light  whale-boat  pulling  into 
the  harbor.  The  ship  lay  off  and  on,  and  a boat  came 
alongside  of  us,  and  put  on  board  the  captain,  a plain 
young  Quaker,  dressed  all  in  brown.  The  ship  was  the 
Cortes,  whaleman,  of  New  Bedford,  and  had  put  in  to  see 
if  there  were  any  vessels  from  round  the  Horn,  and  to  hear 
the  latest  news  from  America.  They  remained  aboard  a 
short  time  and  had  a little  talk  with  the  crew,  when  they 
left  us  and  pulled  off  to  their  ship,  which,  having  filled 
away,  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

A small  boat  which  came  from  the  shore  to  take  away 
the  governor  and  suite — as  they  styled  themselves — 
brought,  as  a present  to  the  crew,  a large  pale  of  milk,  a 
few  shells,  and  a block  of  sandal  wood.  The  milk,  which 
was  the  first  we  had  tasted  since  leaving  Boston,  we  soon 
despatched ; a piece  of  the  sandal  wood  I obtained,  and 
learned  that  it  grew  on  the  hills  in  the  centre  of  the  island. 
I have  always  regretted  that  I did  not  bring  away  other 
specimens  of  the  products  of  the  island,  having  afterwards 
lost  all  that  I had  with  me — the  piece  of  sandal  wood,  and 
a small  flower  which  I plucked  and  brought  on  board  in 
the  crown  of  my  tarpaulin,  and  carefully  pressed  between 
the  leaves  of  a book. 

About  an  hour  before  sundown,  having  stowed  our 
water-casks,  we  commenced  getting  under  weigh,  and  were 
not  a little  while  about  it ; for  we  were  in  thirty  fathoms  of 
water,  and  in  one  of  the  gusts  which  came  from  off  shore 
had  let  go  our  other  bow  anchor ; and  as  the  southerly 
wind  draws  round  the  mountains  and  comes  off  in  uncer- 
tain flaws,  we  were  continually  swinging  round,  and  had 
thus  got  a very  foul  hawse.  We  hove  in  upon  our  chain, 
and  after  stoppering  and  unshackling  it  again  and  again, 
and  hoisting  and  hauling  down  sail,  we  at  length  tipped 
our  anchor  and  stood  out  to  sea.  It  was  bright  starlight  when 
we  were  clear  of  the  bay,  and  the  lofty  island  lay  behind 
us,  in  its  still  beauty,  and  I gave  a parting  look,  and  bid 
farewell,  to  the  most  romantic  spot  of  earth  that  my  eyes 
had  ever  seen.  I did  then,  and  have  ever  since,  felt  an 
attachment  for  that  island,  altogether  peculiar.  It  was 
partly,  no  doubt,  from  its  having  been  the  first  island  that 
I had  seen  since  leaving  home,  and  still  more  from  the 
associations  which  every  one  has  connected  with  it  in  their 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST . 


childhood  from  reading  Robinson  Crusoe.  To  this  I may 
add  the  height  and  romantic  outline  of  its  mountains,  the 
beauty  and  freshness  of  its  verdure,  and  the  extreme 
fertility  of  its  soil,  and  its  solitary  position  in  the  midst  of 
the  wide  expanse  of  the  South  Pacific,  as  all  concurring  to 
give  it  its  peculiar  charm. 

When  thoughts  of  this  place  have  occurred  to  me  at 
different  times,  I have  endeavored  to  recall  more  partic- 
ulars with  regard  to  it.  It  is  situated  in  about  330  30'  S., 
and  is  distant  a little  more  than  three  hundred  miles  from 
Valparaiso,  on  the  coast  of  Chili,  which  is  in  the  same 
latitude.  It  is  about  fifteen  miles  in  length  and  five  in 
breadth.  The  harbor  in  which  we  anchored  (called  by 
Lord  Anson,  Cumberland  bay)  is  the  only  one  in  the  island  ; 
two  small  bights  of  land  on  each  side  of  the  main  bay 
(sometimes  dignified  by  the  name  of  bays)  being  little  more 
than  landing-places  for  boats.  The  best  anchorage  is  at 
the  western  side  of  the  bay,  where  we  lay  at  about  three 
cables’  lengths  from  the  shore,  in  a little  more  than  thirty 
fathoms  water.  This  harbor  is  open  to  the  N.  N.  E.,  and 
in  fact  nearly  from  N.  to  E.,  but  the  only  dangerous  winds 
being  the  southwest,  on  which  side  are  the  highest  moun- 
tains, it  is  considered  very  safe.  The  most  remarkable 
thing  perhaps  about  it  is  the  fish  with  which  it  abounds. 
Two  of  our  crew,  who  remained  on  board,  caught  in  a 
few  minutes  enough  to  last  us  for  several  days,  and  one  of 
the  men,  who  was  a Marblehead  man,  said  that  he  never 
saw  or  heard  of  such  an  abundance.  There  were  cod, 
breams,  silver-fish,  and  other  kinds  whose  names  they  did 
not  know,  or  which  I have  forgotten. 

There  is  an  abundance  of  the  best  of  water  upon  the 
island,  small  streams  running  through  every  valley,  and 
leaping  down  from  the  sides  of  the  hills.  One  stream  of 
considerable  size  flows  through  the  centre  of  the  lawn  upon 
which  the  houses  are  built,  and  furnishes  an  easy  and  abun- 
dant supply  to  the  inhabitants.  This,  by  means  of  a short 
wooden  aqueduct,  was  brought  quite  down  to  our  boats. 
The  convicts  had  also  built  something  in  the  way  of  a 
breakwater,  and  were  to  build  a landing-place  for  boats 
and  goods,  after  which  the  Chilian  government  intended 
to  lay  port  charges. 

Of  the  wood  I can  only  say,  that  it  appeared  to  be 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


45 


abundant ; the  island  in  the  month  of  November,  when 
we  were  there,  being  in  all  the  freshness  and  beauty  of 
spring,  appeared  covered  with  trees.  These  were  chiefly 
aromatic,  and  the  largest  was  the  myrtle.  The  soil  is  very 
loose  and  rich,  and  wherever  it  is  broken  up,  there  spring 
up  immediately  radishes,  turnips,  ground  apples,  and  other 
garden  fruits.  Goats,  we  were  told,  were  not  abundant, 
and  we  saw  none,  though  it  was  said  we  might,  if  we  had 
gone  into  the  interior.  We  saw  a few  bullocks  winding 
about  in  the  narrow  tracks  upon  the  sides  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  settlement  was  completely  overrun  with  dogs 
of  every  nation,  kindred,  and  degree.  Hens  and  chickens 
were  also  abundant,  and  seemed  to  be  taken  good  care 
of  by  the  women.  The  men  appeared  to  be  the  laziest 
people  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ; and  indeed,  as  far  as 
my  observation  goes,  there  are  no  people  to  whom  the 
newly-invented  Yankee  word  of  “ loafer”  is  more  applic- 
able than  to  the  Spanish  Americans.  These  men  stood  about 
doing  nothing,  with  their  cloaks,  little  better  in  texture 
than  an  Indian’s  blanket,  but  of  rich  colors,  thrown  over 
their  shoulders  with  an  air  which  it  is  said  that  a Spanish 
begger  can  always  give  to  his  rags  ; and  with  great  polite- 
ness and  courtesy  in  their  address,  though  with  holes  in 
their  shoes  and  without  a sou  in  their  pockets.  The  only 
interruption  to  the  monotony  of  their  day  seemed  to  be 
when  a gust  of  wind  drew  round  between  the  mountains 
and  blew  off  the  boughs  which  they  had  placed  for  roofs 
to  their  houses,  and  gave  them  a few  minutes’  occupation 
in  running  about  after  them.  One  of  these  gusts  occurred 
while  we  were  ashore,  and  afforded  us  no  little  amusement 
at  seeing  the  men  look  round,  and  if  they  found  that  their 
roofs  had  stood,  conclude  that  they  might  stand  too,  while 
those  who  saw  theirs  blown  off,  after  uttering  a few  Spanish 
oaths,  gathered  their  cloaks  over  their  shoulders,  and 
started  off  after  them.  However,  they  were  not  gone  long, 
but  soon  returned  to  their  habitual  occupation  of  doing 
nothing. 

It  is  perhaps  needless  to  say  that  we  saw  nothing  of 
the  interior  ; but  all  who  have  seen  it,  give  very  glowing 
accounts  of  it.  Our  captain  went  with  the  governor  and  a 
few  servants  upon  mules  over  the  mountains,  and  upon 
their  return,  I heard  the  governor  request  him  to  stop  at  the 


46  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

island  on  his  passage  home,  and  offer  him  a handsome  sum 
to  bring  a few  deer  with  him  from  California,  for  he  said 
that  there  were  none  upon  the  island,  and  he  was  very 
desirous  of  having  it  stocked. 

A steady,  though  light  southwesterly  wind  carried  us 
well  off  from  the  island,  and  when  I came  on  deck  for  the 
middle  watch  I could  just  distinguish  it  from  its  hiding  a 
few  low  stars  in  the  southern  horizon,  though  my  un- 
practised eyes  would  hardly  have  known  it  for  land.  At 
the  close  of  the  watch  a few  trade-wind  clouds  which  had 
arisen,  though  we  were  hardly  yet  in  their  latitude,  shut  it 
out  from  our  view,  and  the  next  day, 

Thursday , Nov.  27 th,  upon  coming  on  deck  in  the 
morning,  we  were  again  upon  the  wide  Pacific,  and  saw  no 
more  land  until  we  arrived  upon  the  western  coast  of  the 
great  continent  of  America. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


As  we  saw  neither  land  nor  sail  from  the  time  of  leav- 
ing Juan  Fernandez  until  our  arrival  in  California,  nothing 
of  interest  occurred  except  our  own  doings  on  board.  We 
caught  the  southeast  trades,  and  run  before  them  for 
nearly  three  weeks,  without  so  much  as  altering  a sail  or 
bracing  a yard.  The  captain  took  advantage  of  this  fine 
weather  to  get  the  vessel  in  order  for  coming  upon  the 
coast.  The  carpenter  was  employed  in  fitting  up  a part 
of  the  steerage  into  a trade-room  ; for  our  cargo,  we  now 
learned,  was  not  to  be  landed,  but  to  be  sold  by  retail  from 
on  board  ; and  this  trade-room  was  built  for  the  samples 
and  the  lighter  goods  to  be  kept  in,  and  as  a place  for  the 
general  business.  In  the  mean  time  we  were  employed  in 
working  upon  the  rigging.  Everything  was  set  up  taught, 
the  lower  rigging  rattled  down,  or  rather  rattled  up,  (ac- 
cording to  the  modern  fashion,)  an  abundance  of  spun- 
yarn  and  seizing-stuff  made,  and  finally,  the  whole  stand- 
ing-rigging,  fore  and  aft,  was  tarred  down.  This  was  my 
first  essay  at  this  latter  business,  and  I had  enough  of  it  ; 
for  nearly  all  of  it  came  upon  my  friend  S and  myself. 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


47 


The  men  were  needed  at  the  other  work,  and  M , the 

other  young  man  who  came  out  with  us,  was  laid  up  with 
the  rheumatism  in  his  feet,  and  the  boy  was  rather  too 
young  and  small  for  the  business  ; and  as  the  winds  were 
light  and  regular,  he  was  kept  during  most  of  the  daytime 
at  the  helm  ; so  that  nearly  all  the  tarring  came  upon  us. 
We  put  on  short  duck  frocks,  and  taking  a small,  bucket 
of  tar  and  a bunch  of  oakum  in  our  hands,  went  aloft,  one 
at  the  main  royal-mast-head  and  the  other  at  the  fore,  and 
began  tarring  down.  This  is  an  important  operation,  and 
is  usually  done  about  once  in  six  months  in  vessels  upon 
a long  voyage.  It  was  done  in  our  vessel  several  times 
afterwards,  but  by  the  whole  crew  at  once,  and  fin- 
ished off  in  a day  ; but  at  this  time,  as  most  of  it  came 
upon  two  of  us,  and  we  were  new  at  the  business,  it  took 
us  several  days.  In  this  operation  they  always  begin  at 
the  mast-head  and  work  down,  tarring  the  shrouds,  back- 
stays, standing  parts  of  the  lifts,  the  ties,  runners,  etc.,  and 
go  out  to  the  yard-arms,  and  come  in,  tarring,  as  they 
come,  the  lifts  and  foot-ropes.  Tarring  the  stays  is  more 
difficult,  and  is  done  by  an  operation  which  the  sailors  call 
“ riding  down.”  A long  piece  of  rope — top-gallant-stud- 
ding-sail halyards,  or  something  of  the  kind — is  taken  up 
the  masthead  from  which  the  stays  leads,  and  rove  through 
a block  for  a girt-line,  or,  as  the  sailors  usually  call  it,  a 
gant-Yme  ; with  the  end  of  this  a bowline  is  taken  round 
the  stay,  into  which  the  man  gets  with  his  bucket  of  tar 
and  bunch  of  oakum,  and  the  other  end  being  fast  on  deck, 
with  some  one  to  tend  it,  he  is  lowered  down  gradually, 
an  d tars  the  stay  carefully  as  he  goes.  There  he  “ swings 
aloft  ’twixt  heaven  and  earth,”  and  if  the  rope  slips, 
breaks,  or  is  let  go,  or  if  the  bowline  slips,  he  falls 
overbord  or  breaks  his  neck.  This,  however,  is  a thing 
which  never  enters  into  a sailor’s  calculation.  He  only 
thinks  of  leaving  no  holydays , (places  not  tarred,)  for  in 
case  he  should,  he  would  have  to  go  over  the  whole  again  ; 
or  of  dropping  no  tar  upon  deck,  for  then  there  would  be  a 
soft  word  in  his  ear  from  the  mate.  In  this  manner  I 
tarred  down  all  the  head-stays,  but  found  the  rigging 
about  the  jib-booms,  martingale,  and  spritsail  yard,  upon 
which  I was  afterwards  put,  the  hardest.  Here  you  hav* 
to  hang  on  with  your  eyelids  and  tar  with  your  hands. 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


4S 


This  dirty  work  could  not  last  forever,  and  on  Saturday 
night  we  finished  it,  scraped  all  the  spots  from  the  deck 
and  rails,  and,  what  was  of  more  importance  to  us,  cleaned 
ourselves  thoroughly,  rolled  up  our  tarry  frocks  and 
trowsers  and  laid  them  away  for  the  next  occasion,  and 
put  on  our  clean  duck  clothes,  and  had  a good  comfortable 
sailor’s  Saturday  night.  The  next  day  was  pleasant,  and 
indeed  we  had  but  one  unpleasant  Sunday  during  the  whole 
voyage,  and  that  was  off  Cape  Horn,  where  we  could  ex- 
pect nothing  better.  On  Monday  we  commenced  paint- 
ing, and  getting  the  vessel  ready  for  port.  This  work,  too,  is 
done  by  the  crew,  and  every  sailor  who  has  been  long  voy- 
ages is  a little  of  a painter,  in  addition  to  his  other  accom- 
plishments. We  painted  her  both  inside  and  out,  from 
the  truck  to  the  waters  edge.  The  outside  is  painted  by 
lowering  stages  over  the  side  by  ropes,  and  on  those  we 
sat,  with  our  brushes  and  paint-pots  by  us,  and  our  feet 
half  the  time  in  the  water.  This  must  be  done,  of  course, 
on  a smooth  day,  when  the  vessel  does  not  roll  much.  I 
remember  very  well  being  over  the  side  painting  in  this 
way,  one  fine  afternoon,  our  vessel  going  quietly  along  at 
the  rate  of  four  or  five  knots,  and  a pilot-fish,  the  sure,  pre- 
cursor of  a shark,  swimming  alongside  of  us.  The  captain 
was  leaning  over  the  rail  watching  him,  and  we  went 
quietly  on  with  our  work.  In  the  midst  of  our  painting,  on 

Friday , Dec . 19//2  we  crossed  the  equator  for  the  second 
time.  I had  the  feeling  which  all  have  when,  for  the  first 
time,  they  find  themselves  living  under  an  entire  change  of 
seasons ; a$,  crossing  the  line  under  a burning  sun  in  the 
midst  of  December,  and,  as  I afterwards  was,  beating 
about  among  ice  and  snow  on  the  fourth  of  July. 

Thursday  Dec . 25 th.  This  day  was  Christmas,  but  it 
brought  us  no  holiday.  The  only  change  was  that  we  had 
a “ plum  duff  ” for  dinner,  and  the  crew  quarreled  with  the 
steward  because  he  did  not  give  us  our  usual  allowance  of 
molasses  to  eat  with  it.  He  thought  the  plums  would  be  a 
substitute  for  the  molasses,  but  we  were  not  to  be  cheated 
out  of  our  rights  in  this  way. 

Such  are  the  trifles  which  produce  quarrels  on  ship- 
board. In  fact,  we  had  been  too  long  from  port.  We 
were  getting  tired  of  one  another,  and  were  in  an  irritable 
state,  both  forward  and  aft.  Our  fresh  provisions  were,  of 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


49 


course,  gone,  and  the  captain  had  stopped  our  rice,  so  that 
we  had  nothing  but  salt  beef  and  salt  pork  throughout  the 
week,  with  the  exception  of  a very  small  duff  on  Sunday. 
This  added  to  the  discontent ; and  a thousand  little  things, 
daily  and  almost  hourly  occurring,  which  no  one  who  has 
not  himself  been  on  a long  and  tedious  voyage  can  con- 
ceive of  or  properly  appreciate — little  wars  and  rumors  of 
wars, — reports  of  things  said  in  the  cabin, — misunderstand- 
ing of  words  and  looks, — apparent  abuses, — brought  us 
into  a state  in  which  everything  seemed  to  go  wrong. 
Every  encroachment  upon  the  time  allowed  for  rest, 
appeared  unnecessary.  Every  shifting  of  the  studding-sails 
was  only  to  “ haze ” * the  crew. 

In  the  midst  of  this  state  of  things,  my  messmate  S 

and  myself  petitioned  the  captain  for  leave  to  shift  our 
berths  from  the  steerage  where  we  had  previously  lived, 
into  the  forecastle.  This,  to  our  delight,  was  granted,  and 
we  turned  in  to  bunk  and  mess  with  the  crew  forward. 
We  now  began  to  feel  like  sailors,  which  we  never  fully 
did  when  we  were  in  the  steerage.  While  there,  however 
useful  and  active  you  may  be,  you  are  but  a mongrel, — and 
sort  of  afterguard  and  “ ship’s  cousin.”  You  are  immedia- 
tely under  the  eye  of  the  officers,  cannot  dance,  sing,  play, 
smoke,  make  a noise,  or  growl , (i.  e.  complain,)  or  take  any 
other  sailor’s  pleasure  ; and  you  live  with  the  steward,  who 
is  usually  a go-between  ; and  the  crew  never  feel  as  though 
you  were  one  of  them.  But  if  you  live  in  the  forecastle,  you 
are  “ as  independent  as  a wood-sawyer’s  clerk,”  (nautice.) 
and  are  a sailor.  You  hear  sailors’  talk,  learn  their  ways, 
their  peculiarities  of  feeling  as  well  as  speaking  and  acting  ; 
and  moreover  pick  up  a great  deal  of  curious  and  useful 
information  in  seamanship,  ship’s  customs,  foreign  coun- 
tries, etc.,  from  the  long  yarns  and  equally  long  disputes. 
No  man  can  be  a sailor,  or  know  what  sailors  are,  unless 
he  has  lived  in  the  forecastle  with  them — turned  in  and  out 
with  them,  eaten  of  their  dish  and  drank  of  their  cup. 
After  I had  been  a week  there,  nothing  would  have  tempted 

* Haze  is  a word  of  frequent  use  on  board  ship,  and  never,  I 
believe,  used  elsewhere.  It  is  very  expressive  to  a sailor,  and  means 
to  punish  by  hard  work.  Let  an  officer  once  say,  “ 1*11  haze  you,”  and 
your  fate  is  fixed.  You  will  be  “ worked  up,”  if  you  are  not  a better 
man  than  he  is. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


5° 

me  to  go  back  to  my  old  berth,  and  never  afterwards,  even 
in  the  worst  of  weather,  when  in  a close  and  leaking  fore- 
castle off'  Cape  Horn,  did  I for  a moment  wish  myself  in 
the  steerage.  Another  thing  which  you  learn  better  in  the 
forecastle  than  you  can  anywhere  else,  is,  to  make  and 
mend  clothes,  and  this  is  indespensable  to  sailors.  A large 
part  of  their  watches  below  they  spend  at  this  work,  and 
here  I learned  that  art  which  stood  me  in  so  good  stead 
afterwards. 

But  to  return  to  the  state  of  the  crew.  Upon  our  com- 
ing into  the  forecastle,  there  was  some  difficulty  about  the 
uniting  of  the  allowances  of  bread,  by  which  we  thought 
we  were  to  lose  a few  pounds.  This  set  us  into  a ferment. 
The  captain  would  not  condescend  to  explain,  and  we  went 
aft  in  a body,  with  a Swede,  the  oldest  and  best  sailor  of 
the  crew  for  spokesman.  The  recollection  of  the  scene 
that  followed  always  brings  up  a smile,  especially  the 
quarter-deck  dignity  and  eloquence  of  the  captain.  He 
was  walking  the  weather  side  of  the  quarter-deck,  and  see- 
ing us  coming  aft,  stopped  short  in  his  walk,  and  with  a 
voice  and  look  intended  to  annihilate  us,  called  out,  “ Well, 

what  the  d 1 do  you  want  now  ? ” Whereupon  we  stated 

our  grievances  as  respectfully  as  we  could,  but  he  broke  in 
upon  us,  saying  that  we  were  getting  fat  and  lazy,  didn’t 
have  enough  to  do,  and  that  made  us  find  fault.  This  pro- 
voked us,  and  we  began  to  give  word  for  word.  This  would 
never  answer.  He  clinched  his  fist,  stamped  and  swore, 
and  sent  us  all  forward,  saying,  with  oaths  enough  inter- 
spersed to  send  the  words  home, — “ Away  with  you  ! go 
forward  every  one  of  you  ! I’ll  haze  you  ! I’ll  work  you  up  ! 
You  don’t  have  enough  to  do  ! If  you  a’n’t  careful  I’ll 
make  a hell  of  the  ship  ! . . . . You’ve  mistaken  your  man  ! 

I’m  F T , all  the  way  from  ‘ down  east.’  I’ve 

been  through  the  mill,  ground,  and  bolted,  and  come  out  a 
regular-built  down-east  johnny-cake,  good  when  it’s  hot,  but 
when  it’s  cold,  sour  and  indigestible  ; and  you’ll  find  me 
so  i M The  latter  part  of  this  harangue  I remember  well, 
for  it  made  a strong  impression,  and  the  “ down-east 
johnny-cake  ” became  a by-word  for  the  rest  of  the  voy- 
age. So  much  for  our  petition  for  the  redress  of  griev- 
ances. The  matter  was  however  set  right,  for  the  mate, 
after  allowing  the  captain  due  time  to  cool  off,  explained 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  51 

it  to  him,  and  at  night  we  were  all  called  aft  to  hear  an- 
other harangue,  in  which,  of  course,  the  whole  blame  of 
the  misunderstanding  was  thrown  upon  us.  We  ventured 
to  hint  that  he  would  not  give  us  time  to  explain  ; but  it 
wouldn’t  do.  We  were  driven  back  discomforted.  Thus 
the  affair  blew  over,  but  the  irritation  caused  by  it  re- 
mained ; and  we  never  had  peace  or  a good  understanding 
again  so  long  as  the  captain  and  crew  remained  together. 

We  continued  sailing  along  in  the  beautiful  temperate 
climate  of  the  Pacific.  The  Pacific  well  deserves  its  name, 
for  except  in  the  southern  part,  at  Cape  Horn,  and  in  the 
western  parts,  near  the  China  and  Indian  oceans,  it  has  few 
storms,  and  is  never  either  extremely  hot  or  cold.  Between 
the  tropics  there  is  a slight  haziness,  like  a thin  gauze, 
drawn  over  the  sun,  which,  without  obstructing  or  obscur- 
ing the  light,  tempers  the  heat  which  comes  down  with 
perpendicular  fierceness  in  the  Atlantic  and  Indian  tropics. 
We  sailed  well  to  the  westward  to  have  the  full  advantage 
of  the  northeast  trades,  and  when  we  had  reached  the  lati- 
tude of  Point  Conception,  where  it  is  usual  to  make  the 
land,  we  were  several  hundred  miles  to  the  westward  of  it. 
We  immediately  changed  our  course  due  east,  and  sailed 
in  that  direction  for  a number  of  days.  At  length  we  be- 
gan to  heave-to  after  dark,  for  fear  of  making  the  land  at 
night  on  a coast  where  there  are  no  lighthouses  and  but 
indifferent  charts,  and  at  daybreak  on  the  morning  of 

Tuesday,  Jan  13th,  1835,  we  made  the  land  at  Point 
Conception,  lat.  340  32'  N.,  long.  120°  06'  W.  The  port 
of  Santa  Barbara,  to  which  we  were  bound,  lying  about 
sixty  miles  to  the  southward  of  this  point,  we  continued 
sailing  down  the  coast  during  the  day  and  following  night, 
and  on  the  next  morning, 

Jan  14 th,  1835,  we  came  to  anchor  in  the  spacious  bay 
of  Santa  Barbara,  after  a voyage  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
days  from  Boston. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


5* 


CHAPTER  DC 

California  extends  along  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
western  coast  of  Mexico,  between  the  gulf  of  California  in 
the  south  and  the  bay  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  on  the  north, 
or  between  the  22d  and  38th  degrees  of  north  latitude.  It 
is  subdivided  into  two  provinces — lower  or  Old  California, 
lying  between  the  gulf  and  the  32d  degree  of  latitude,  or 
near  it ; (the  division  line  running,  I believe  between  the 
bay  of  Todos  Santos  and  the  port  of  San  Diego ;)  and 
New  or  Upper  California,  the  southernmost  port  of  which 
is  San  Diego,  in  lat.  320  39',  and  the  northernmost,  San 
Francisco,  situated  in  the  large  bay  discovered  by  Sir  Fran- 
cis Drake,  in  lat.  370  58',  and  called  after  him  by  the  Eng- 
lish, though  the  Mexicans  call  it  Yerba  Buena.  Upper 
California  has  the  seat  of  its  government  at  Monterey, 
where  is  also  the  custom-house,  the  only  one  on  the  coast, 
and  at  which  every  vessel  intending  to  trade  on  the  coast 
must  enter  its  cargo  before  it  can  commence  its  traffic. 
We  were  to  trade  upon  this  coast  exclusively,  and  therefore 
expected  to  go  to  Monterey  at  first ; but  the  captain’s  orders 
from  home  were  to  put  in  at  Santa  Barbara,  which  is  the 
central  port  of  the  coast,  and  wait  there  for  the  agent  who 
lives  there,  and  transacts  all  the  business  for  the  firm  to 
which  our  vessel  belonged. 

The  bay,  or,  as  it  was  commonly  called,  the  canal  of 
Santa  Barbara,  is  very  large,  being  formed  by  the  main 
land  on  one  side,  (between  Point  Conception  on  the  north 
and  Point  St.  Buena  Ventura  on  the  south,)  which  here 
bends  in  like  a crescent,  and  three  large  islands  opposite 
to  it  and  at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles.  This  is  just  suf- 
ficient to  give  it  the  name  of  a bay,  while  at  the  same  time 
it  is  so  large  and  so  much  exposed  to  the  southeast  and 
northwest  winds,  that  it  is  little  better  than  an  open  road- 
stead ; and  the  whole  swell  of  the  Pacific  ocean  rolls  in 
here  before  a southeaster,  and  breaks  with  so  heavy  a surf 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


53 


in  the  shallow  waters,  that  it  is  highly  dangerous  to  lie 
near  in  to  the  shore  during  the  southeaster  season,  that  is, 
between  the  months  of  November  and  April. 

This  wind  (the- southeaster)  is  the  bane  of  the  coast  of 
California.  Between  the  months  of  November  and  April, 
(including  a part  of  each,)  which  is  the  rainy  season  in  this 
latitude,  you  are  never  safe  from  it,  and  accordingly,  in 
the  ports  which  are  open  to  it,  vessels  are  obliged,  during 
these  months,  to  lie  at  anchor  at  a distance  of  three  miles 
from  the  shore,  with  slip-ropes  on  their  cables,  ready  to 
slip  and  go  to  sea  at  a moment’s  warning.  The  only  ports 
which  are  safe  from  this  wind  are  San  Francisco  and  Mon- 
terey in  the  north,  and  San  Diego  in  the  south. 

As  it  was  January  when  we  arrived,  and  the  middle  of 
the  southeaster  season,  we  accordingly  came  to  anchor  at 
the  distance  of  three  miles  from  the  shore,  in  eleven  fath- 
oms water,  and  bent  a slip-rope  and  buoys  to  our  cables, 
cast  off  the  yard-arm  gaskets  from  the  sails,  and  stopped 
them  all  with  rope-yarns.  After  we  had  done  this,  the  boat 
went  ashore  with  the  captain,  and  returned  with  orders  to 
the  mate  to  send  a boat  ashore  for  him  at  sundown.  I did 
not  go  in  the  first  boat,  and  was  glad  to  find  that  there  was 
another  going  before  night ; for  after  so  long  a voyage  as 
ours  had  been,  a few  hours  is  long  to  pass  in  sight  and  out 
of  reach  of  land.  We  spent  the  day  on  board  in  the  usual 
avocations  ; but,  as  this  was  the  first  time  we  had  been 
without  the  captain  we  felt  a little  more  freedom,  and  looked 
about  us  to  see  what  sort  of  a country  we  had  got  into,  and 
were  to  spend  a year  or  two  of  our  lives  in. 

In  the  first  place,  it  was  a beautiful  day,  and  so  warm 
that  we  had  on  straw  hats,  duck  trowsers,  and  all  the  sum- 
mer gear  ; and  as  this  was  midwinter,  it  spoke  well  for 
the  climate  ; and  we  afterwards  found  that  the  thermome- 
ter never  fell  to  the  freezing  point  throughout  the  winter, 
and  that  there  was  very  little  difference  between  the  sea- 
sons, except  that  during  a long  period  of  rainy  and  south- 
easterly weather,  thick  clothes  were  not  uncomfortable. 

The  large  bay  lay  about  us,  nearly  smooth,  as  there 
was  hardly  a breath  of  wind  stirring,  though  the  boat’s 
crew  who  went  ashore  told  us  that  the  long  ground  swell 
broke  into  a heavy  surf  on  the  beach.  There  was  only 
one  vessel  in  the  port — a long,  sharp  brig  of  about  300 


54 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


tons,  with  raking  masts  and  very  square  yards,  and  Eng- 
lish colors  at  her  peak.  We  afterwards  learned  that  she 
was  built  at  Guayaquil,  and  named  the  “ Ayacucho,”  after 
the  place  where  the  battle  was  fought  that  gave  Peru  her 
independence,  and  was  now  owned  by  a Scotchman 
named  Wilson,  who  commanded  her,  and  was  engaged  in 
the  trade  between  Callao,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  Cali- 
fornia. She  was  a fast  sailor,  as  we  frequently  afterwards 
perceived,  and  had  a crew  of  Sandwich  Islanders  on 
board.  Beside  this  vessel  there  was  no  object  to  break  the 
surface  of  the  bay.  Two  points  ran  out  as  the  horns  of 
the  crescent,  one  of  which — the  one  to  the  westward — 
was  low  and  sandy,  and  is  that  to  which  vessels  are  obliged 
to  give  a wide  berth  when  running  out  for  a southeaster  ; 
the  other  is  high,  bold,  and  well-wooded,  and,  we  were 
told,  has  a mission  upon  it  called  St.  Buenaventura,  from 
which  the  point  is  named.  In  the  middle  of  this  crescent, 
directly  opposite  the  anchoring  ground,  lie  the  mission 
and  town  of  Santa  Barbara,  on  a low,  flat  plain,  but  little 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  covered  with  grass,  though  en- 
tirely without  trees,  and  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  an 
amphitheatre  of  mountains,  which  slant  off  to  the  distance 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  The  mission  stands  a little 
back  of  the  town,  and  is  a large  building,  or  rather  collec- 
tion of  buildings,  in  the  center  of  which  is  a high  tower, 
with  a belfry  of  five  bells  ; and  the  whole,  being  plastered, 
makes  quite  a show  at  a distance,  and  is  the  mark  by 
which  vessels  come  to  anchor.  The  town  lies  a little 
nearer  to  the  beach — about  half  a mile  from  it — and 
is  composed  of  one-story  houses  built  of  brown  clay — some 
of  them  plastered — with  red  tiles  on  the  roofs.  I should 
judge  that  there  were  about  an  hundred  of  them ; and  in 
the  midst  of  them  stands  the  Presidio,  or  fort,  built  of  the 
same  materials,  and  apparently  but  little  stronger.  The 
town  is  certainly  finely  situated,  with  a Bay  in  front,  and 
an  amphitheatre  of  hills  behind.  The  only  thing  which 
diminishes  its  beauty  is,  that  the  hills  have  no  large  trees 
upon  them,  they  having  been  all  burnt  by  the  great  fire 
which  swept  them  off  about  a dozen  years  before,  and 
they  had  not  yet  grown  up  again.  The  fire  was  described 
to  me  by  an  inhabitant,  as  having  been  a very  terrible  and 
magnificent  sight.  The  air  of  the  whole  valley  was  so 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


55 

heated  that  the  people  were  obliged  to  leave  the  town  and 
take  up  their  quarters  for  several  clays  upon  the  beach. 

Just  before  sun-down  the  mate  ordered  a boat’s  crew 
ashore,  and  1 went  as  one  of  the  number.  We  passed 
under  the  stern  of  the  English  brig,  and  had  a long  pull 
ashore.  I shall  never  forget  the  impression  which  our  first 
landing  on  the  beach  of  California  made  upon  me.  The 
sun  had  just  gone  down  ; it  was  getting  dusky  ; the  damp 
night  wind  was  beginning  to  blow,  and  the  heavy  swell  of 
the  Pacific  was  setting  in,  and  breaking  in  loud  and  high 
“ combers  ” upon  the  beach.  We  lay  on  our  oars  in  the 
swell,  just  outside  the  surf,  waiting  for  a good  chance  to 
run  in,  when  a boat,  which  had  put  off  from  the  Ayacucho 
just  after  us,  came  alongside  of  us,  with  a crew  of  dusky 
Sandwich  Islanders,  talking  and  hallooing  in  their  out- 
landish tongue.  They  knew  that  we  were  novices  in  this 
kind  of  boating,  and  waited  to  see  us  go  in.  The  second 
mate,  however,  who  steered  our  boat,  determined  to  have 
the  advantage  of  their  experience,  and  would  not  go  in 
first.  Finding,  at  length,  how  matters  stood,  they  gave  a 
shout,  and  taking  advantage  of  a great  comber  which 
came  swelling  in,  rearing  its  head,  and  lifting  up  the  stern 
of  our  boat  nearly  perpendicular,  and  again  dropping  it  in 
the  trough,  they  gave  three  or  four  long  and  strong  pulls, 
and  went  in  on  top  of  the  great  wave,  throwing  their  oars 
overboard,  and  as  far  from  the  boat  as  they  could  throw 
them,  and  jumping  out  the  instant  that  the  boat  touched 
the  beach,  and  then  seizing  hold  of  her  and  running  her 
up  high  and  dry  upon  the  sand.  We  saw,  at  once,  how  it 
was  to  be  done,  and  also  the  necessity  of  keeping  the  boat 
“ stern  on  ” to  the  sea ; for  the  instant  the  sea  should 
strike  upon  her  broad-side  or  quarter,  she  would  be  driven 
up  broad-side  on,  and  capsized.  We  pulled  strongly  in,  and 
as  soon  as  we  felt  that  the  sea  had  got  hold  of  us  and  was 
carrying  us  in  with  the  speed  of  a race-horse,  we  threw 
the  oars  as  far  from  the  boat  as  we  could,  and  took  hold 
of  the  gunwale,  ready  to  spring  out  and  seize  her  when  she 
struck,  the  officer  using  his  utmost  strength  to  keep  her 
stern  on.  We  were  shot  up  upon  the  beach  like  an  arrow 
from  a bow,  and  seizing  the  boat,  ran  her  up  high  and  dry, 
and  soon  picked  up  our  onrs,  and  stood  by  her,  ready  for 
the  captain  to  come  down. 


56 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


Finding  that  the  captain  did  not  come  immediately,  we 
put  our  oars  in  the  boat,  and  leaving  one  to  watch  it, 
walked  about  the  beach  to  see  what  we  could,  of  the  place. 
The  beach  is  nearly  a mile  in  length  between  the  two 
points,  and  of  smooth  sand.  We  had  taken  the  only  good 
landing-place,  which  is  in  the  middle ; it  being  more  stony 
towards  the  ends.  It  is  about  twenty  yards  in  width  from 
high-water  mark  to  a slight  bank  at  which  the  soil  begins, 
and  so  hard  that  it  is  a favorite  place  for  running  horses. 
It  was  growing  dark,  so  that  we  could  just  distinguish  the 
dim  outlines  of  the  two  vessels  in  the  offing;  and  the 
great  seas  were  rolling  in,  in  regular  lines,  growing  larger 
and  larger  as  they  approached  the  shore,  and  hanging 
over  the  beach  upon  which  they  were  to  break,  when  their 
tops  would  curl  over  and  turn  white  with  foam,  and,  be- 
ginning at  one  extreme  of  the  line,  break  rapidly  to  the 
other,  as  a long  card-house  falls  when  the  children  knock 
down  the  cards  at  one  end.  The  Sandwich  Islanders,  in 
the  meantime,  had  turned  their  boat  round,  and  ran  her 
down  into  the  water,  and  were  loading  her  with  hides  and 
tallow.  As  this  was  the  work  in  which  we  were  soon  to  be 
engaged,  we  looked  on  with  some  curiosity.  They  ran 
the  boat  into  the  water  so  far  that  every  large  sea  might 
float  her,  and  two  of  them,  with  their  trowsers  rolled  up, 
stood  by  the  bows,  one  on  each  side,  keeping  her  in  her 
right  position.  This  was  hard  work  ; for  beside  the  force 
they  had  to  use  upon  the  boat,  the  large  seas  nearly  took 
them  off  their  legs.  The  others  were  running  from  the 
boat  to  the  bank,  upon  which,  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
water,  was  a pile  of  dry  bullocks’  hides,  doubled  length- 
wise in  the  middle,  and  nearly  as  stiff  as  boards.  These 
they  took  upon  their  heads,  one  or  two  at  a time,  and 
carried  down  to  the  boat,  where  one  of  their  number 
stowed  them  away.  They  were  obliged  to  carry  them  on 
their  heads,  to  keep  them  out  of  the  water,  and  we  ob- 
served that  they  hud  on  thick  woollen  caps.  “ Look  here, 
Bill,  and  see  what  you’re  coming  to  I ” said  one  of  our 

men  to  another  who  stood  by  the  boat.  “Well,  D ,” 

said  the  second  mate  to  me,  “ this  does  not  look  much 
like  Cambridge  college,  does  it  ? — This  is  what  I call 
‘ head  work:  ” To  tell  the  truth,  it  did  not  look  very  en- 
couraging. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


57 


After  they  had  got  through  with  the  hides,  they  laid 
hold  of  the  bags  of  tallow,  (the  bags  are  made  of  hide,  and 
are  about  the  size  of  a common  meal  bag,)  and  lifting  each 
upon  the  shoulders  of  two  men,  one  at  each  end,  walked 
off  with  them  to  the  boat,  and  prepared  to  go  abroad. 
Here,  too,  was  something  for  us  to  learn.  The  man  who 
steered,  shipped  his  oars  and  stood  up  in  the  stern,  and 
those  that  pulled  the  after  oars  sat  upon  their  benches, 
with  their  oars  shipped,  ready  to  strike  out  as  soon  as  she 
was  afloat.  The  two  men  at  the  bows  kept  their  places  ; 
and  when,  at  length,  a large  sea  came  in  and  floated  her, 
seized  hold* of  the  gunwale,  and  ran  out  with  her  till  they 
were  up  to  their  armpits,  and  then  tumbled  over  the  gun- 
wale into  the  bow,  dripping  with  water.  The  men  at  the 
oars  struck  out,  but  it  wouldn’t  do  ; the  sea  swept  back  and 
left  them  nearly  high  and  dry.  The  two  fellows  jumped 
out  again ; and  the  next  time  they  succeeded  better,  and, 
with  the  help  of  a deal  of  outlandish  hallooing  and  bawling, 
got  her  well  off.  We  watched  them  till  they  were  out  of 
the  breakers,  and  saw  them  steering  for  their  vessel,  which 
was  now  hidden  in  the  darkness. 

The  sand  of  the  beach  began  to  be  cold  to  our  bare 
feet ; the  frogs  set  up  their  croaking  in  the  marshes,  and 
one  solitary  owl,  from  the  end  of  the  distant  point,  gave  out 
his  melancholy  note,  mellowed  by  the  distance,  and  we  began 
to  think  that  it  was  nigh  time  for  “ the  old  man,”  as  the 
captain  is  generally  called,  to  come  down.  In  a few 
minutes  we  heard  something  coming  towards  us.  It  was  a 
man  on  horseback.  He  came  up  on  the  full  gallop,  reined 
up  near  us,  addressed  a few  words  to  us,  and  receiving  no 
answer,  wheeled  round  and  galloped  off  again.  He  was 
nearly  as  dark  as  an  Indian,  with  a large  Spanish  hat, 
blanket  cloak  or  surreppa,  and  leather  leggins,  with  a long 
knife  stuck  in  them.  “ This  is  the  seventh  city  that  ever 
I was  in,  and  no  Christian  one  neither,”  said  Bill  Brown. 
“ Stand  by  ! ” said  Tom,  “ you  haven’t  seen  the  worst  of 
it  yet.”  In  the  midst  of  this  conversation  the  captain  ap- 
peared ; and  we  winded  the  boat  round,  shoved  her  down, 
and  prepared  to  go  off.  The  captain,  who  had  been  on  the 
coast  before  and  “ knew  the  ropes,”  took  the  steering  oar, 
and  we  went  off  in  the  same  way  as  the  other  boat.  I,  be- 
ing the  youngest,  had  the  pleasure  of  standing  at  the  bowe 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


S3 

and  getting  wet  through.  We  went  off  well,  though  the 
seas  were  high.  Some  of  them  lifted  us  up,  and  sliding 
from  under  us,  seemed  to  let  us  drop  through  the  air  like  a 
flat  plank  upon  the  body  of  the  water,  in  a few  minutes 
we  were  in  the  low,  regular  swell,  and  pulled  for  a light, 
which,  as  we  came  up,  we  found  had  been  run  up  to  our 
trysail  gaff. 

Coming  aboard,  we  hoisted  up  all  the  boats,  and  diving 
down  into  the  forecastle,  changed  our  wet  clothes,  and  got 
our  supper.  After  supper  the  sailors  lighted  their  pipes, 
(cigars,  those  of  us  who  had  them,)  and  we  had  to  tell  all 
we  had  seen  ashore.  Then  followed  conjectures  about  the 
people  ashore,  the  length  of  the  voyage,  carrying  hides, 
etc.  etc.,  until  eight  bells,  when  all  hands  were  called  aft, 
and  the  “ anchor  watch”  set.  We  were  to  stand  two  in  a 
watch,  and  as  the  nights  were  pretty  long,  two  hours  were 
to  make  a watch.  The  second  mate  was  to  keep  the  deck 
until  eight  o’clock,  and  all  hands  were  to  be  called  at  day- 
break, and  the  word  was  passed  to  keep  a bright  look-out, 
and  to  call  the  mate  if  it  should  come  on  to  blow  from  the 
southeast.  We  had  also  orders  to  strike  the  bells  every 
half  hour  through  the  night,  as  at  sea.  My  watchmate  was 
John,  the  Swedish  sailor,  and  we  stood  from  twelve  to  two, 
he  walking  the  larboard  side,  and  I the  starboard.  At  day- 
light all  hands  were  called,  and  we  went  through  the  usual 
process  of  washing  down,  swabbing,  etc.,  and  got  breakfast 
at  eight  o’clock.  In  the  course  of  the  forenoon,  a boat 
went  aboard  of  the  Ayacucho  and  brought  off  a quarter  of 
beef,  which  made  us  afresh  bite  for  dinner.  This  we  were 
glad  enough  to  have,  and  the  mate  told  us  that  we  should 
live  upon  fresh  beef  while  we  were  on  the  coast,  as  it  was 
cheaper  here  than  the  salt.  While  at  dinner,  the  cook 
called,  “ Sail  ho  ! ” and  coming  on  deck,  we  saw  two  sails 
coming  round  the  point.  One  was  a large  ship  under  top- 
gallant sails,  and  the  other  a small  hermaphrodite  brig. 
They  both  backed  their  topsails  and  sent  boats  aboard  of 
us.  The  ship’s  colors  had  puzzled  us,  and  we  found  that 
she  was  from  Genoa,  with  an  assorted  cargo,  and  was  trad- 
ing on  the  coast.  She  filled  away  again,  and  stood  out ; 
being  bound  up  the  coast  to  San  Francisco.  The  crew  of 
the  brig’s  boat  were  Sandwich  Islanders,  but  one  of  them, 
who  spoke  a little  English,  told  us  that  she  was  the  Loriotte, 


TfVO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


59 


Captain  Nye,  from  Oahu,  and  was  engaged  in  this  trade. 
She  was  a lump  of  a thing — what  the  sailors  call  a butter- 
box.  This  vessel,  as  well  as  the  Ayacucho,  and  others, 
which  we  afterwards  saw  engaged  in  the  same  trade,  have 
English  or  Americans  for  officers,  and  two  or  three  before 
the  mast  to  do  the  work  upon  the  rigging,  and  to  rely  upon 
for  seamanship,  while  the  rest  of  the  crew  are  Sandwich 
Islanders,  who  are  active,  and  very  useful  in  boating. 

The  three  captains  went  ashore  after  dinner,  and  came 
off  again  at  night.  When  in  port,  everything  is  attended 
to  by  the  chief  mate  ; the  captain,  unless  he  is  also  super- 
cargo, has  little  to  do,  and  is  usually  ashore  much  of  his  time. 
This  we  thought  would  be  pleasanter  for  us,  as  the  mate  was 
a good-natured  man  and  not  very  strict.  So  it  was  for  a 
time,  but  we  were  worse  off  in  the  end  ; for  wherever  the  cap- 
tain is  a severe,  energetic  man,  and  the  mate  is  wanting  in 
both  these  qualities,  there  will  always  be  trouble.  And 
trouble  we  had  already  begun  to  anticipate.  The  captain 
had  several  times  found  fault  with  the  mate,  in  presence  of 
the  crew ; and  hints  had  been  dropped  that  all  was  not 
right  between  them.  When  this  is  the  case,  and  the  cap- 
tain suspects  that  his  chief  officer  is  too  easy  and  familiar 
with  the  crew,  then  he  begins  to  interfere  in  all  the  duties, 
and  to  draw  the  reins  taughter,  and  the  crew  have  to 
suffer. 


CHAPTER  X. 

This  night,  after  sundown,  it  looked  black  at  the  south- 
ward and  eastward,  and  we  were  told  to  keep  a bright 
look-out.  Expecting  to  be  called  up,  we  turned  in  early. 
Waking  up  about  midnight,  I found  a man  who  had  just 
come  down  from  his  watch,  striking  a light.  He  said  that 
it  was  beginning  to  puff  up  from  the  southeast,  and  that 
the  sea  was  rolling  in,  and  he  had  called  the  captain ; and 
as  he  threw  himself  down  on  his  chest  with  all  his  clothes 
on,  I knew  that  he  expected  to  be  called.  I felt  the  vessel 
pitching  at  her  anchor,  and  the  chain  surging  and  snap- 
ping, and  lay  awake,  expecting  an  instant  summons.  In  a 
few  minutes  it  came — three  knocks  on  the  scuttle,  and 


6o 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


“All  hands  ahoy!  bear-a-hand  up  and  make  sail.”  We 
sprang  up  for  our  clothes,  and  were  about  half  way 
dressed,  when  the  mate  called  out,  down  the  scuttle, 
“ Tumble  up  here,  men  ! tumble  up ! before  she  drags  her 
anchor.”  We  were  on  deck  in  an  instant.  “ Lay  aloft 
and  loose  the  topsails  ! ” shouted  the  captain,  as  soon  as 
the  first  man  showed  himself.  Springing  into  the  rigging, 
I saw  that  the  Ayacucho’s  topsails  were  loosed,  and  heard 
her  crew  singing  out  at  the  sheets  as  they  were  hauling 
them  home.  This  had  probably  started  our  captain ; as 
“old  Wilson”  (the  captain  of  the  Ayacucho)  had  been 
many  years  on  the  coast,  and  knew  the  signs  of  the 
weather.  We  soon  had  the  topsails  loosed  ; and  one  hand 
remaining,  as  usual,  in  each  top,  to  overhaul  the  rigging 
and  light  the  sail  out,  the  rest  of  us  laid  down  to  man  the 
sheets.  While  sheeting  home,  we  saw  the  Ayacucho 
standing  athwart  our  bows,  sharp  upon  the  wind,  cutting 
through  the  head  sea  like  a knife,  with  her  raking  masts 
and  sharp  bows  running  up  like  the  head  of  a greyhound. 
It  was  a beautiful  sight.  She  was  like  a bird  which  had 
been  frightened  and  had  spread  her  wings  in  flight.  After 
the  topsails  had  been  sheeted  home,  the  head  yards  braced 
aback,  the  fore-top-mast  staysail  hoisted,  and  the  buoys 
streamed,  and  all  ready  forward,  for  slipping,  we  went  aft 
and  manned  the  slip-rope  which  came  through  the  stern 
port  with  a turn  round  the  timber-heads.  “All  ready  for- 
ward?” asked  the  captain.  “Aye,  aye,  sir;  all  ready,” 
answered  the  mate.  “Let  go!”  “All  gone,  sir !”  and 
the  iron  cable  grated  over  the  windlass  and  through  the 
hawse-hole,  and  the  little  vessel’s  head  swinging  off  from 
the  wind  under  the  force  of  her  backed  head  sails,  brought 
the  strain  upon  the  slip-rope.  “Let  go  aft ! ” Instantly 
all  was  gone,  and  we  were  under  weigh.  As  soon  as  she 
was  well  off  from  the  wind,  we  filled  away  the  head  yards, 
braced  all  up  sharp,  set  the  foresail  and  trysail,  and  left 
our  anchorage  well  astern,  giving  the  point  a good  berth. 
“ Nye  ’s  off  too,”  said  the  captain  to  the  mate;  and  look- 
ing astern,  we  could  just  see  the  little  hermaphrodite  brig 
under  sail  standing  after  us. 

It  now  began  to  blow  fresh  ; the  rain  fell  fast,  and  it 
grew  very  black  ; but  the  captain  would  not  take  in  sail 
until  we  were  well  clear  of  the  point.  As  soon  as  we  left 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


61 


this  on  our  quarter,  and  were  standing  out  to  sea,  the 
order  was  given,  and  we  sprang  aloft,  double  reefed  each 
topsail,  furled  the  foresail,  and  double  reefed  the  trysail, 
and  were  soon  under  easy  sail.  In  these  cases  of  slipping 
for  southeasters,  there  is  nothing  to  be  done,  after  you 
have  got  clear  of  the  coast,  but  to  lie-to  under  easy  sail, 
and  wait  for  the  gale  to  be  over,  which  seldom  lasts  more 
than  two  days,  and  is  often  over  in  twelve  hours;  but  the 
wind  never  comes  back  to  the  southward  until  there  has  a 
good  deal  of  rain  fallen.  “ Go  below  the  watch, ” said  the 
mate  ; but  here  was  a dispute  which  watch  it  should  be, 
which  the  mate  soon  however  settled  by  sending  his  watch 
below,  saving  that  we  should  have  our  turn  the  next  time 
we  got  under  weigh.  We  remained  on  deck  till  the  expira- 
tion of  the  watch,  the  wind  blowing  very  fresh  and  the  rain 
coming  down  in  torrents.  When  the  watch  came  up,  we 
wore  ship,  and  stood  on  the  other  tack,  in  towards  land. 
When  we  came  up  again,  which  was  at  four  in  the  morn- 
ing, it  was  very  dark,  and  there  was  not  much  wind,  but  it 
was  raining  as  I thought  I had  never  seen  it  rain  before. 
We  had  on  oilcloth  suits,  and  southwester  caps,  and  had 
nothing  to  do  but  to  stand  bolt  upright  and  let  it  pour 
down  upon  us.  There  are  no  umbrellas,  and  no  sheds  to 
go  under,  at  sea. 

While  we  were  standing  about  on  deck,  we  saw  the 
little  brig  drifting  by  us,  hove  to  under  her  fore  topsail 
double  reefed  ; and  she  glided  by  like  a phantom.  Not  a 
word  was  spoken,  and  we  saw  no  one  on  deck  but  the  man 
at  the  wheel.  Towards  morning  the  captain  put  his  head 
out  of  the  companion-way,  and  told  the  second  mate,  who 
commanded  our  watch,  to  look  out  for  a change  of  wind, 
which  usually  followed  a calm  and  heavy  rain  ; and  it  wag 
well  that  he  did ; for  in  a few  minutes  it  fell  dead  calm, 
the  vessel  lost  her  steerage-way,  and  the  rain  ceased. 
We  hauled  up  the  trysail  and  courses-,  squared  the  after 
yards,  and  waited  for  the  change,  which  came  in  a few 
minutes,  with  a vengeance,  from  the  northwest,  the  oppo- 
site point  of  the  compass.  Owing  to  our  precautions,  we 
were  not  taken  aback,  but  ran  before  the  wind  with  square 
yards.  The  captain  coming  on  deck,  we  braced  up  a 
little  and  stood  back  for  our  anchorage.  With  the  change 
of  wind  came  a change  of  weather,  and  in  two  hours  the 


62 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


wind  moderated  into  the  light  steady  breeze,  which  blows 
down  the  coast  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  from  its 
regularity,  might  be  called  a trade-wind.  The  sun  came 
up  bright,  and  we  set  royals,  sky-sails,  and  studding-sails 
and  were  under  fair  way  for  Santa  Barbara.  The  little 
Loriotte  was  astern  of  us,  nearly  out  of  sight ; but  we  saw 
nothing  of  the  Ayacucho.  In  a short  time  she  appeared, 
standing  out  from  Santa  Rosa  Island,  under  the  lee  of 
which  she  had  been  hove  to,  all  night.  Our  captain 
was  anxious  to  get  in  before  her,  for  it  would  be  a great 
credit  to  us,  on  the  coast,  to  beat  the  Ayacucho,  which 
had  been  called  the  best  sailer  in  the  North  Pacific,  in 
which  she  had  been  known  as  a trader  for  six  years  or 
more.  We  had  an  advantage  over  her  in  light  winds, 
from  our  royals  and  skysails  which  we  carried  both  at  the 
fore  and  main,  and  also  in  our  studding-sails  ; for  Captain 
Wilson  carried  nothing  above  top-gallant  sails,  and  always 
unbent  his  studding-sails  when  on  the  coast.  As  the  wind 
was  light  and  fair,  we  held  our  own,  for  some  time,  when 
we  were  both  obliged  to  brace  up  and  come  upon  a taught 
bowline,  after  rounding  the  point;  and  here  he  had  us  on 
fair  ground,  and  walked  away  from  us,  as  you  would  haul 
in  a line.  He  afterwards  said  that  we  sailed  well  enough 
with  the  wind  free,  but  that  give  him  a taught  bowline,  and 
he  would  beat  us,  if  we  had  all  the  canvass  of  the  Royal 
George. 

The  Ayacucho  got  to  the  anchoring  ground  about  half 
an  hour  before  us,  and  was  furling  her  sails  when  we  came 
up  to  it.  This  picking  up  your  cables  is  a very  nice  piece 
of  work.  It  requires  some  seamanship  to  do  it,  and  come 
to  at  your  former  moorings,  without  letting  go  another 
anchor.  Captain  Wilson  was  remarkable,  among  the 
sailors  on  the  coast,  for  his  skill  in  doing  this  ; and  our 
captain  never  let  go  a second  anchor  during  all  the  time 
that  I was  with  him.  Coming  a little  to  windward  of  our 
buoy,  we  clewed  up  the  light  sails,  backed  our  main  top- 
sail, and  lowered  a boat,  which  pulled  off,  and  made  fast  a 
spare  hawser  to  the  buoy  on  the  end  of  the  slip-rope.  We 
brought  the  other  end  to  the  capstan,  and  hove  in  upon  it 
until  we  came  to  the  slip-rope,  which  we  took  to  the  wind- 
lass, and  walked  her  up  to  her  chain,  the  capstan  helping 
her  by  backing  and  filling  the  sails.  The  chain  is  then 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  63 

passed  through  the  hawse-hole  and  round  the  windlass, 
and  bitted,  the  slip-rope  taken  round  outside  and  brought 
into  the  stern  port,  and  she  is  safe  in  her  old  berth.  After 
we  had  got  through,  the  mate  told  us  that  this  was  a small 
touch  of  California,  the  like  of  which  we  must  expect  to 
have  through  the  winter. 

After  we  had  furled  the  sails  and  got  dinner,  we  saw 
the  Loriotte  nearing,  and  she  had  her  anchor  before  night 
At  sun-down  we  went  ashore  again,  and  found  the  Loriotte’s 
boat  waiting  on  the  beach.  The  Sandwich  Islander  who 
could  speak  English,  told  us  that  he  had  been  up  to  the 
town  ; that  our  agent,  Mr.  R , and  some  other  pass- 

engers, were  going  to  Monterey  with  us,  and  that  we  were 

to  sail  the  same  night.  In  a few  minutes  Captain  T , 

with  two  gentlemen  and  one  female,  came  down,  and  we 
got  ready  to  go  off.  They  had  a good  deal  of  baggage, 
which  we  put  into  the  bows  of  the  boat,  and  then  two  of 
us  took  the  senora  in  our  arms,  and  waded  with  her  through 
the  water,  and  put  her  down  safely  in  the  stern.  She  ap- 
peared much  amused  with  the  transaction,  and  her  hus- 
band was  perfectly  satisfied,  thinking  any  arrangement 
good  which  saved  his  wetting  his  feet.  I pulled  the  after 
oar,  so  that  I heard  the  conversation,  and  learned  that 
one  of  the  men,  who,  as  well  as  I could  see  in  the  dark- 
ness, was  a young-looking  man,  in  the  European  dress, 
and  covered  up  in  a large  cloak,  was  the  agent  of  the  firm 
to  which  our  vessel  belonged  ; and  the  other,  who  was 
dressed  in  the  Spanish  dress  of  the  country,  was  a brother 
of  our  captain,  who  had  been  many  years  a trader  on  the 
coast,  and  had  married  the  lady  who  was  in  the  boat.  She 
was  a delicate,  dark-complexioned  young  woman,  and  of 
one  of  the  best  families  in  California.  I also  found  that 
we  were  to  sail  the  same  night.  As  soon  as  we  got  on 
board, ‘the  boats  were  hoisted  up,  the  sails  loosed,  the 
windlass  manned,  the  slip-ropes  and  gear  cast  off ; and 
after  about  twenty  minutes  of  heaving  at  the  windlass, 
making  sail,  and  bracing  yards,  we  were  well  under  weigh, 
and  going  with  a fair  wind  up  the  coast  to  Monterey.  The 
Loriotte  got  under  weigh  at  the  same  time,  and  was  also 
bound  up  to  Monterey,  but  as  she  took  a different  course 
from  us,  keeping  the  land  aboard,  while  we  kept  well  out 
to  sea,  we  soon  lost  sight  of  her.  We  had  a fair  wind, 


64  7 WV  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

which  is  something  unusual  when  going  up,  as  the  pre- 
vailing wind  is  the  north,  which  blows  directly  down  the 
coast ; whence  the  northern  are  called  the  windward,  and 
the  southern  the  leeward  ports. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

We  got  clear  of  the  islands  before  sunrise  the  next 
morning,  and  by  twelve  o’clock  were  out  of  the  canal,  and 
off  Point  Conception,  the  place  where  we  first  made  the 
land  upon  our  arrival.  This  is  the  largest  point  on  the 
coast,  and  is  an  uninhabited  headland,  stretching  out  into 
the  Pacific,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  very  windy. 
Any  vessel  does  well  which  gets  by  it  without  a gale, 
especially  in  the  winter  season.  We  were  going  along 
with  studding-sails  set  on  both  sides,  when,  as  we  came 
round  the  point,  we  had  to  haul  our  wind,  and  took  in  the 
lee  studding-sails.  As  the  brig  came  more  upon  the  wind, 
she  felt  it  more,  and  we  doused  the  sky-sails,  but  kept  the 
weather  studding-sails  on  her,  bracing  the  yards  forward 
so  that  the  swinging-boom  nearly  touched  the  sprit-sail 
yard.  She  now  lay  over  to  it,  the  wind  was  freshening, 
and  the  captain  was  evidently  “ dragging  on  to  her.”  His 

brother  and  Mr.  R , looking  a little  squally,  said 

something  to  him,  but  he  only  answered  that  he  knew  the 
vessel  and  what  she  would  carry.  He  was  evidently  show- 
ing off  his  vessel,  and  letting  them  know  how  he  could 
carry  sail.  He  stood  up  to  windward,  holding  on  by  the 
backstays,  and  looking  up  at  the  sticks,  to  see  how  much 
they  would  bear ; when  a puff  came  which  settled  the 
matter.  Then  it  was  “haul  down,”  and  “clew  up,” 
royals,  flying-jib,  and  studding-sails,  all  at  once.  There 
was  what  the  sailors  call  a “ mess  everything  let  go, 
nothing  hauled  in,  and  everything  flying.  The  poor 
Spanish  woman  came  to  the  companion-way,  looking  as 
pale  as  a ghost,  and  nearly  frightened  to  death.  The 
mate  and  some  men  forward  were  trying  to  haul  in  the 
lower  studding-sail,  which  had  blown  over  the  sprit-sail 
yard-arm  and  round  the  guys,  while  the  topmast-studding- 
sail  boom,  after  buckling  up  and  springing  out  again  like 


TWO  years  BEFORE  THE  MAST,  65 

a piece  of  whalebone,  broke  off  at  the  boom-iron.  I sprang 
aloft  to  take  in  the  main  top-gallant  studding-sail,  but  be- 
fore I got  into  the  top,  the  tack  parted,  and  away  went 
the  sail,  swinging  forward  of  the  top-gallant-sail,  and  tear- 
ing and  slatting  itself  to  pieces.  The  halyards  were  at 
this  moment  let  go  by  the  run ; and  such  a piece  of  work 
I never  had  before,  in  taking  in  a sail.  After  great  exer- 
tions  I got  it,  or  the  remains  of  it,  into  the  top,  and  was 
making  it  fast,  when  the  captain,  looking  up,  called  out  to 

me,  “ Lay  aloft  there,  D , and  furl  that  main  royal.” 

Leaving  the  studding-sail,  I went  up  to  the  cross-trees ; 
and  here  it  looked  rather  squally.  The  foot  of  the  top- 
gallant-mast  was  working  between  the  cross  and  trussel 
trees,  and  the  royal-mast  lay  over  at  a fearful  angle  with 
the  mast  below,  while  everything  was  working,  and  crack- 
ing, strained  to  the  utmost. 

There’s  nothing  for  Jack  to  do  but  to  obey  orders,  and 
I went  up  upon  the  yard  ; and  there  was  a worse  “ mess,” 
if  possible,  than  I had  left  below.  The  braces  had  been 
let  go,  and  the  yard  was  swinging  about  like  a turnpike- 
gate,  and  the  whole  sail  having  blown  over  to  leeward,  the 
lee  leach  was  over  the  yard-arm,  and  the  sky-sail  was  all 
adrift  and  flying  over  my  head.  I looked  down,  but  it 
was  in  vain  to  attempt  to  make  myself  heard,  for  every  one 
was  busy  below,  and  the  wind  roared,  and  sails  were  flap- 
ping in  every  direction.  Fortunately,  it  was  noon  and 
broad  daylight,  and  the  man  at  the  wheel,  who  had  his 
eyes  aloft,  soon  saw  my  difficulty,  and  after  numberless 
signs  and  gestures,  got  some  one  to  haul  the  necessary 
ropes  taught.  During  this  interval  I took  a look  below. 
Everything  was  in  confusion  on  deck ; the  little  vessel  was 
tearing  through  the  water  as  if  she  were  mad,  the  seas  flying 
over  her,  and  the  masts  leaning  over  at  an  angle  of  forty- 
five  degrees  from  the  vertical.  At  the  other  royal-mast- 
head was  S , working  away  at  the  sail,  which  was 

blowing  from  him  as  fast  as  he  could  gather  it  in.  The 
top-gallant-sail  below  me  was  soon  clewed  up,  which 
relieved  the  mast,  and  in  a short  time  I got  my  sail  furled, 
and  went  below  ; but  I lost  overboard  a new  tarpaulin 
hat,  which  troubled  me  more  than  anything  else.  We 
worked  for  about  half  an  hour  with  might  and  main  ; and 
in  an  hour  from  the  time  the  squall  struck  us,  from  having 


66 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


all  our  flying  kites  abroad,  we  came  down  to  double-reefed 
top-sails  and  the  storm-sail^ 

The  wind  had  hauled  ahead  during  the  squall,  and  we 
were  standing  directly  in  for  the  point.  So,  as  soon  as  we 
had  got  all  snug,  we  wore  round  and  stood  off  again,  and 
had  the  pleasant  prospect  of  beating  up  to  Monterey,  a 
distance  of  an  hundred  miles,  against  a violent  head  wind. 
Before  night  it  began  to  rain ; and  we  had  five  days  of 
rainy,  stormy  weather,  under  <51ose  sail  all  the  time,  and 
were  blown  several  hundred  miles  off  the  coast.  In 
the  midst  of  this,  we  discovered  that  our  fore  topmast  was 
sprung,  (which  no  doubt  happened  in  the  squall,)  and  were 
obliged  to  send  down  the  fore  top-gallant-mast  and  carry 
as  little  sail  as  possible  forward.  Our  four  passengers 
were  dreadfully  sick,  so  that  we  saw  little  or  nothing  of 
them  during  the  five  days.  On  the  sixth  day  it  cleared  off, 
and  the  sun  came  out  bright,  but  the  wind  and  sea  were 
still  very  high.  It  was  quite  like  being  at  sea  again  : no 
land  for  hundreds  of  miles,  and  the  captain' taking  the  sun 
every  day  at  noon.  Our  passengers  now  made  their 
appearance,  and  I had  for  the  first  time  the  opportunity  of 
seeing  what  a miserable  and  forlorn  creature  a sea-sick 
passenger  is.  Since  I had  got  over  my  own  sickness,  the 
first  two  days  from  Boston,  I had  seen  nothing  but  hale, 
hearty  men,  with  their  sea  legs  on,  and  able  to  go  any- 
where, (for  we  had  no  passengers ;)  and  1 will  own  there 
was  a pleasant  feeling  of  superiority  in  being  able  to  walk 
the  deck,  and  eat,  and  go  about,  and  comparing  one’s  self 
with  two  poor,  miserable,  pale  creatures,  staggering  and 
shuffling  about  decks,  or  holding  on  and  looking  up  with 
giddy  heads,  to  see  us  climbing  to  the  mast-heads,  or  sitting 
quietly  at  work  on  the  ends  of  the  lofty  yards.  A well 
man  at  sea  has  little  sympathy  with  one  who  is  sea-sick ; 
he  is  too  apt  to  be  conscious  of  a comparison  favorable  to 
his  own  manhood. 

After  a few  days  we  made  the  land  at  Point  Pinos, 
(pines,)  which  is  the  headland  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay 
of  Monterey.  As  we  drew  in,  and  ran  down  the  shore,  we 
could  distinguish  well  the  face  of  the  country,  and  found  it 
better  wooded  than  that  to  the  southward  of  Point  Con- 
ception. In  fact,  as  I afterwards  discovered,  Point  Con- 
ception may  be  made  the  dividihg  line  between  two 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


67 

different  faces  of  the  country.  As  you  go  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  point,  the  country  becomes  more  wooded,  has 
a richer  appearance,  and  is  better  supplied  with  water. 
This  is  the  case  with  Monterey,  and  still  more  so  with  San 
Francisco  ; while  to  the  southward  of  the  point,  as  at  Santa 
Barbara,  San  Pedro,  and  particularly  San  Diego,  there 
is  very  little  wood,  and  the  country  has  a naked,  level 
appearance,  though  it  is  still  very  fertile. 

The  bay  of  Monterey  is  very  wide  at  the  entrance,  being 
about  twenty-four  miles  between  the  two  points,  Ano 
Nuevo  at  the  North,  and  Pinos  at  the  south,  but  narrows 
gradually  as  you  approach  the  town,  which  is  situated  in  a 
bend,  or  large  cove,  at  the  south  eastern  extremity,  and 
about  eighteen  miles  from  the  points,  which  makes  the 
whole  depth  of  the  bay.  The  shores  are  extremely  well 
wooded,  (the  pine  abounding  upon  them,)  and  as  it  was 
now  the  rainy  reason,  everything  was  as  green  as  nature 
could  make  it, — the  grass,  the  leaves,  and  all ; the  birds 
were  singing  in  the  woods,  and  great  numbers  of  wild 
fowl  were  flying  over  our  heads.  Here  we  could  lie  safe 
from  the  southeasters.  We  came  to  anchor  within  two 
table  lengths  of  the  shore,  and  the  town  lay  directly  before 
us,  making  a very  pretty  appearance  ; its  houses  being 
plastered,  which  gives  a much  befter  effect  than  those  of 
Santa  Barbara,  which  are  of  a mud  color.  The  red  tiles, 
too,  on  the  roofs,  contrasted  well  with  the  white  plastered 
sides,  and  with  the  extreme  greenness  of  the  lawn  upon 
which  the  houses— about  an  hundred  in  number — were 
dotted  about,  here  and  there,  irregularly.  There  are  in 
this  place,  and  in  every  other  town  which  I saw  in  Cali- 
fornia, no  streets,  or  fences,  (except  here  and  there  a 
small  patch  was  fenced  in  fora  garden),  so  that  the  houses 
are  placed  at  random  upon  the  green,  which,  as  they  are 
of  one  story  and  of  the  cottage  form,  gives  them  a pretty 
effect  when  seen  from  a little  distance. 

It  was  a fine  Saturday  afternoon  when  we  came  to 
anchor,  the  sun  about  an  hour  high,  and  everything  look- 
ing pleasantly.  The  Mexican  flag  was  flying  from  the 
little  square  Presidio,  and  the  drums  and  trumpets  of  the 
soldiers,  who  were  out  on  parade,  sounded  over  the  water, 
and  gave  great  life  to  the  scene.  Every  one  was  delighted 
with  the  appearance  of  things.  We  felt  as  though  we 


68 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


had  got  into  a Christian  (which  in  the  sailor’s  vocabulary 
means  civilized)  country.  The  first  impression  which 
California  had  made  upon  us  was  very  disagreeable  : — the 
open  roadstead  of  Santa  Barbara;  anchoring  three  miles 
from  the  shore  ; running  out  to  sea  before  every  south- 
easter ; landing  in  a high  surf : with  a little  dark-looking 
town,  a mile  from  the  beach  ; and  not  a sound  to  be  heard, 
or  anything  to  be  seen,  but  Sandwich  Islanders,  hides,  and 
tallow-bags.  Add  to  this  the  gale  off  Point  Conception, 
and  no  one  can  be  at  a loss  to  account  for  our  agreeable 
disappointment  in  Monterey.  Beside  all  this,  we  soon 
learned,  which  was  of  no  small  importance  to  us,  that 
there  was  little  or  no  surf  here,  and  this  afternoon  the 
beach  was  as  smooth  as  a duck-pond. 

We  landed  the  agent  and  passengers,  and  found  several 
persons  waiting  for  them  on  the  beach,  among  whom  were 
some,  who,  though  dressed  in  the  costume  of  the  country, 
spoke  English ; and  who,  we  afterwards  learned,  were 
English  and  Americans  who  had  married  and  settled  in 
the  country. 

I also  connected  with  our  arrival  here  another  circum- 
stance which  more  nearly  concerns  myself ; viz.,  my  first 
act  of  what  the  sailors  will  allow  to  be  seamanship — 
sending  down  a royal-yard.  I had  seen  it  done  once  or 
twice  at  sea,  and  an  old  sailor,  whose  favor  I had  taken 
some  pains  to  gain,  had  taught  me  carefully  everything 
which  was  necessary  to  be  done,  and  in  its  proper  order, 
and  advised  me  to  take  the  first  opportunity  when  we 
were  in  port,  and  try  it.  I told  the  second  mate,  with 
whom  I had  been  pretty  thick  when  he  was  before  the 
mast,  that  I would  do  it,  and  got  him  to  ask  the  mate  to 
send  me  up  the  first  time  they  were  struck.  Accordingly 
I was  called  upon,  and  went  up,  repeating  the  operations 
over  in  my  mind,  taking  care  to  get  everything  in  its  order, 
for  the  slightest  mistake  spoils  the  whole.  Fortunately, 
I got  through  without  any  word  from  the  officer,  and  heard 
the  “ well  done”  of  the  mate,  when  the  yard  reached  the 
deck,  with  as  much  satisfaction  as  I ever  felt  at  Cam- 
bridge on  seeing  a “ bene ” at  the  foot  of  a Latin  exercise. 


TWO , YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


69 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  next  day  being  Sunday,  which  is  the  liberty-day 
among  merchantmen,  when  it  is  usual  to  let  a part  of  the 
crew  go  ashore,  the  sailors  had  depended  upon  a day  on 
land,  and  were  already  disputing  who  should  ask  to  go, 
when,  upon  being  called  in  the  morning,  we  were  turned- 
to  upon  the  rigging,  and  found  that  the  topmast,  which 
had  been  sprung,  was  to  come  down,  and  a new  one  to  go 
up,  and  top-gallant  and  royal-masts,  and  the  rigging  to  be 
set  up.  This  was  too  bad.  If  there  is  anything  that  irri- 
tates sailors  and  makes  them  feel  hardly  used,  it  is  being 
deprived  of  their  Sabbath.  Not  that  they  would  always, 
or  indeed  generally,  spend  it  religiously,  but  it  is  their 
only  day  of  rest.  Then,  too,  they  are  so  often  necessarily 
deprived  of  it  by  storms,  and  unavoidable  duties  of  all 
kinds,  that  to  take  it  from  them  when  lying  quietly  and 
safely  in  port,  without  any  urgent  reason,  bears  the  more 
hardly.  The  only  reason  in  this  case  was,  that  the  captain 
had  determined  to  have  the  custom-house  officers  on  board 
on  Monday,  and  wished  to  have  his  brig  in  order.  Jack 
is  a slave  aboard  ship  ; but  still  he  has  many  opportunities 
of  thwarting  and  balking  his  master.  When  there  is  dan- 
ger, or  necessity  or  when  he  is  well  used,  no  one  can 
work  faster  than  he ; but  the  instant  he  feels  that  he  is 
kept  at  work  for  nothing,  no  sloth  could  make  less  head- 
way. He  must  not  refuse  his  duty,  or  be  in  any  way  diso- 
bedient, but  all  the  work  that  an  officer  gets  out  of  him, 
he  may  be  welcome  to.  Every  man  who  has  been  three 
months  at  sea  knows  how  to  “ work  Tom  Cox’s  traverse” 
— “ three  turns  round  the  long-boat,  and  a pull  at  the  scut- 
tled-butt.”  This  morning  everything  went  in  his  way.  “ So- 
gering ” was  the  order  of  the  day.  Send  a man  below  to 
get  a block,  and  he  would  capsize  everything  before  find- 
ing it,  then  not  bring  it  up  till  an  officer  had  called  him 
twice,  and  take  as  much  time  to  put  things  in  order  again. 
Marline-spikes  were  not  to  be  found  ; knives  wanted  a 
prodigious  deal  of  sharpening,  and,  generally,  three  or 
four  were  waiting  round  the  grindstone  at  a time:  When 

a man  got  to  the  mast-head,  he  would  come  slowly  down 


7° 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


again  to  get  something  which  he  had  forgotten  ; and  after 
the  tackles  were  got  up,  six  men  would  pull  less  than  one 
who  pulled  “with  a will.”  When  the  mate  was  out  of 
sight,  nothing  was  done.  It  was  all  up-hill  work ; and  at 
eight  o'clock,  when  we  went  to  breakfast,  things  were 
nearly  where  they  were  when  we  began. 

During  our  short  meal,  the  matter  was  discussed.  One 
proposed  refusing  in  work  ; but  that  was  mutiny,  and  of 
course  was  rejected  at  once.  I remember,  too,  that  one 
of  the  men  quoted  “ Father  Taylor,"  (as  they  call  the 
seamen's  preacher  at  Boston,)  who  told  them  that  if  they 
were  ordered  to  work  on  Sunday,  they  must  not  refuse 
their  duty,  and  the  blame  would  not  come  upon  them.  After 
breakfast,  it  leaked  out,  through  the  officers,  that  if  we 
would  get  through  work  soon,  we  might  have  a boat  in  the 
afternoon  and  go  a fishing.  This  bait  was  well  thrown, 
and  took  with  several  who  were  fond  of  fishing  ; and  all 
began  to  find  that  as  we  had  one  thing  to  do,  and  were 
not  to  be  kept  at  work  for  the  day,  the  sooner  we  did  it, 
the  better.  Accordingly,  things  took  a new  aspect  ; and 
before  two  o'clock,  this  work,  which  was  in  a fair  way  to 
last  two  days,  was  done  ; and  five  of  us  went  a fishing  in  the 
jollyboat,  in  the  direction  of  Point  Pinos  ; but  leave  to  go 
ashore  was  refused.  Here  we  saw  the  Loriotte,  which  sailed 
with  us  from  Santa  Barbara,  coming  slowfy  in  with  a light 
sea-breeze,  which  sets  in  towards  afternoon,  having  been 
becalmed  off  the  point  all  the  first  part  of  the  day.  We 
took  several  fish  of  various  kinds,  among  which  cod  and 
perch  abounded,  and  Foster,  (the  ci-devant  second  mate,) 
who  was  of  our  number,  brought  up  with  his  hook  a large 
and  beautiful  pearl-oyster  shell.  We  afterwards  learned 
that  this  place  was  celebrated  for  shells,  and  that  a small 
schooner  had  made  a good  voyage,  by  carrying  a cargo  of 
them  to  the  United  States. 

We  returned  by  sundown,  and  found  the  Loriotte  at 
anchor,  within  a cable’s  length  of  the  Pilgrim.  The  next 
day  we  were  “ turned-to"  early,  and  began  taking  off  the 
hatches,  overhauling  the  cargo,  and  getting  everything 
ready  for  inspection.  At  eight,  the  officers  of  the  customs, 
five  in  number,  came  on  board,  and  began  overhauling. 
The  carge,  manifest,  etc.  The  Mexican  revenue  laws  are 
very  strict,  and  require  the  whole  cargo  to  be  landed,  ex- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


7* 


amined,  and  taken  on  board  again  ; but  our  agent,  Mr.  R 

, had  succeeded  in  compounding  with  them  for  the 

two  last  vessels,  and  saving  the  trouble  of  taking  the  cargo 
ashore.  The  officers  were  dressed  in  the  costume  which  we 
found  prevailed  through  the  country.  A broad-brimmed 
hat,  usually  of  a black  or  dark-brown  color,  with  a gilt  or 
figured  band  round  the  crown,  and  lined  inside  with  silk  ; 
a short  jacket  of  silk  or  figured  calico,  (the  European 
skirted  body-coat  is  never  worn  ;)  the  shirt  open  in  the 
neck  ; rich  waistcoat,  if  any  ; pantaloons  wide,  straight, 
and  long,  usually  of  velvet,  velveteen,  or  broadcloth  ; or 
else  short  breeches  and  white  stockings.  They  wear  the 
dearskin  shoe,  which  is  of  a dark-brown  color,  and,  (being 
made  by  Indians,)  usually  a good  deal  ornamented.  They 
have  no  suspenders,  but  always  wear  a sash  round  the 
waist,  which  is  generally  red,  and  varying  in  quality  with 
the  means  of  the  wearer.  Add  to  this  the  never-failing 
cloak,  and  you  have  the  dress  of  the  Californian.  This 
last  garment,  the  cloak,  is  always  a mark  of  the  rank  and 
wealth  of  the  owner.  The  “ gente  de  razon ,”  or  aristocracy, 
wear  cloaks  of  black  or  dark  blue  broadcloth,  with  as  much 
velvet  and  trimmings  as  maybe;  and  from  this  they  go 
down  to  the  blanket  of  the  Indian  ; the  middle  classes 
wearing  something  like  a large  table-cloth,  with  a hole  in 
the  middle  for  the  head  to  go  through.  This  is  often  as 
coarse  as  a blanket,  but  being  beautifully  woven  with 
various  colors,  is  quite  showy  at  a distance.  Among  the 
Spaniards  there  is  no  working  class  ; (the  Indians  being 
slaves  and  doing  all  the  hard  work  ;)  and  every  rich  man 
looks  like  a grandee,  and  every  poor  scamp  like  a broken- 
down  gentleman.  I have  often  seen  a man  with  a fine 
figure,  and  courteous  manners,  dressed  in  broadcloth  and 
velvet,  with  a noble  horse  completely  covered  with  trap- 
pings, without  a real  in  his  pockets,  and  absolutely  suffering 
for  something  to  eat. 


72 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  next  day,  the  cargo  having  been  entered  in  due 
form,  we  began  trading.  The  trade-room  was  fitted  up  in 
the  steerage,  and  furnished  out  with  the  lighter  goods, 
and  with  specimens  of  the  rest  of  the  cargo ; and  M — , a 
young  man  who  came  out  from  Boston  with  us,  before  the 
mast,  was  taken  out  of  the  forecastle,  and  made  super- 
cargo’s clerk.  He  was  well  qualified  for  the  business, 
having  been  clerk  in  a counting-house  in  Boston.  He  had 
been  troubled  for  some  time  with  the  rheumatism,  which 
unfitted  him  for  the  wet  and  exposed  duty  of  a sailor  on 
the  coast.  For  a week  or  ten  days  all  was  life  on  board. 
The  people  came  off  to  look  and  to  buy — men,  women, 
and  children  ; and  we  were  continually  going  in  the  boats, 
carrying  goods  and  passengers, — for  they  have  no  boats  of 
their  own.  Everything  must  dress  itself  and  come  aboard 
and  see  the  new  vessel,  if  it  were  only  to  buy  a paper  of 
pins.  The  agent  and  his  clerk  managed  the  sales,  while 
we  were  busy  in  the  hold  or  in  the  boats.  Our  cargo  was 
an  assorted  one  ; that  is,  it  consisted  of  everything  under 
the  sun.  We  had  spirits,  of  all  kinds,  (sold  by  the  cask,) 
teas,  coffee,  sugars,  spices,  raisins,  molasses,  hardware, 
crockery-ware,  tin-ware,  cutlery,  clothing  of  all  kinds,  boots 
and  shoes  from  Lynn,  calicoes  and  cottons  from  Lowell 
crapes,  silks;  also,  shawls,  scarfs,  necklaces,  jewelry, 
and  combs  for  the  ladies  ; furniture  ; and  in  fact,  every- 
thing that  can  be  imagined,  from  Chinese  fire-works  to 
English  cart-wheels — of  which  we  had  a dozen  pairs  with 
their  iron  rims  on. 

The  Californians  are  an  idle,  thriftless  people,  and  can 
make  nothing  for  themselves.  The  country  abounds  in 
grapes,  yet  they  buy  bad  wine  made  in  Boston  and  brought 
round  by  us,  at  an  immense  price,  and  retail  it  among 
themselves  at  a real  (i 2-1-2  cents)  by  the  small  wine-glass. 
Their  hides  too,  which  they  value  at  two  dollars  in  money, 
they  give  for  something  which  cost  seventy-five  cents  in 
Boston  ? and  buy  shoes  (as  like  as  not,  made  of  their  own 
hides,  which  have  been  carried  twice  round  Cape  Horn)  at 
three  and  four  dollars,  and  “ chicken-skin”  boots  at  fifteen 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


73 


dollars  apiece.  Things  sell,  on  an  average,  at  an  advance 
of  nearly  three  hundred  per  cent  upon  the  Boston  prices. 
This  is  partly  owning  to  the  heavy  duties  which  the  govern- 
ment, in  their  wisdom,  with  the  intent,  no  doubt,  of  keep- 
ing the  silver  in  the  country,  has  laid  upon  imports.  These 
duties,  and  the  enormous  expenses  of  so  long  a voyage, 
keep  all  merchants,  but  those  of  heavy  capital,  from  en- 
gaging in  the  trade.  Nearly  two  thirds  of  all  the  articles 
imported  into  the  country  from  round  Cape  Horn,  for  the 
last  six  years,  have  been  by  the  single  house  of  Bryant, 
Sturgis  & Co.,  to  whom  our  vessel  belonged  and  who  have 
a permanent  agent  on  the  coast. 

This  kind  of  business  was  new  to  us,  and  we  liked  it 
very  well  for  a few  days,  though  we  were  hard  at  work 
every  minute  from  daylight  to  dark  ; and  sometimes  even 
later. 

By  being  thus  continually  engaged  in  transporting  pas- 
sengers with  their  goods,  to  and  fro,  we  gained  considera- 
ble knowledge  of  the  character,  dress,  and  language  of 
the  people.  The  dress  of  the  men  was  as  I have  before 
described  it.  The  women  wore  gowns  of  various  texture — 
silks,  crape,  calicoes,  &c. — made  after  the  European  style, 
except  that  the  sleeves  were  short,  leaving  the  arm  bare, 
and  that  they  were  loose  about  the  waist,  having  no  corsets. 
They  wore  shoes  of  kid,  or  satin ; sashes  or  belts  of  bright 
colors  ; and  almost  always  a necklace  and  ear-rings.  Bon- 
nets they  had  none.  I only  saw  one  on  the  coast  and  that 
belonged  to  the  wife  of  an  American  sea  captain  who  had 
settled  in  San  Diego,  and  had  imported  the  chaotic  mass 
of  straw  and  ribbon,  as  a choice  present  to  his  new  wife. 
They  wear  their  hair  (which  is  almost  invariably  black,  o\ 
a very  dark  brown)  long  in  their  necks,  sometimes  loose, 
and  sometimes  in  long  braids ; though  the  married  woraeh 
often  do  it  up  on  a high  comb.  Their  only  protection  against 
the  sun  and  weather  is  a large  mantle  which  they  put  over 
their  heads,  drawing  it  close  round  their  faces,  when  they 
go  out  of  doors,  which  is  generally  only  in  pleasant  weather. 
When  in  the  house,  or  sitting  out  in  front  of  it,  which  they 
often  do  in  fine  weather,  they  usually  wear  a small  scarf  oi 
neckerchief  of  a rich  pattern.  A band,  also,  about  the  top 
of  the  head,  with  a cross,  star,  or  other  ornament  in  front, 
is  common.  Their  complexions  are  various,  depending — • 


74 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


as  well  as  their  dress  and  manner — upon  their  rank ; or, 
in  other  words,  upon  the  amount  of  Spanish  blood  they 
can  lay  claim  to.  Those  who  are  of  pure  Spanish  blood, 
having  never  intermarried  with  the  aborigines,  have  clear 
brunette  complexions,  and  sometimes,  even  as  fair  as  those 
of  English  women.  There  are  but  few  of  these  families  in 
California ; being  mostly  those  in  official  stations,  or  who, 
on  the  expiration  of  their  offices,  have  settled  here  upon 
property  which  they  have  acquired  ; and  others  who  have 
been  banished  for  state  offences.  These  form  the  aristo- 
cracy ; intermarrying,  keeping  up  an  exclusive  system  in 
every  respect.  They  can  be  told  by  their  complexions, 
dress,  manner,  and  also  by  their  speech;  for,  calling  them- 
selves Castilians,  they  are  very  ambitious  of  speaking  the 
pure  Castilian  language,  which  is  spoken  in  a somewhat 
corrupted  dialect  by  the  lower  classes.  From  this  upper 
class,  they  go  down  by  regular  shades,  growing  more  and 
more  dark  and  muddy,  until  you  come  to  the  pure  Indian, 
who  runs  about  with  nothing  upon  him  but  a small  piece 
of  cloth,  kept  up  by  a wide  leather  strap  drawn  round  his 
waist.  Generally  speaking,  each  person’s  caste  is  decided 
by  the  quality  of  the  blood,  which  shows  itself,  too  plainly 
to  be  concealed,  at  first  sight.  Yet  the  least  drop  of 
Spanish  blood,  if  it  be  only  of  quatroon  or  octoon,  is  suffi- 
cient to  raise  them  from  the  rank  of  slaves  and  entitle  them 
to  a suit  of  clothes — boots,  hat,  cloak,  spurs,  long  knife, 
all  complete,  though  coarse  and  dirty  as  may  be — and  to 
call  themselves  Espanolos,  and  to  hold  property,  if  they 
can  get  any. 

The  fondness  for  dress  among  the  women  is  excessive, 
and  is  often  the  ruin  of  many  of  them.  A present  of  a fine 
mantle,  or  of  a necklace  or  pair  of  earrings,  gains  the  favor 
of  the  greater  part  of  them.  Nothing  is  more  common  than 
to  see  a woman  living  in  a house  of  only  two  rooms,  and 
the  ground  for  a floor,  dressed  in  spangled  satin  shoes,  silk 
gown,  high  comb,  and  gilt,  if  not  gold  ear-rings  and  neck- 
lace. If  their  husbands  do  not  dress  them  well  enough, 
they  will  soon  receive  presents  from  others.  They  used  to 
spend  whole  days  on  board  our  vessel,  examining  the  fine 
clothes  and  ornaments,  and  frequently  made  purchases  at 
a rate  which  would  have  made  a sempstress  or  waiting-maid 
in  Boston  open  her  eyes. 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


75 


Next  to  the  love  of  dress,  I was  most  struck  with  the 
fineness  of  the  voices  and  beauty  of  the  intonations  of  both 
sexes.  Every  common  ruffian-looking  fellow,  with  a 
slouched  hat,  blanket  cloak,  dirty  under-dress,  and  soiled 
leather  leggins,  appeared  to  me  to  be  speaking  elegant 
Spanish.  It  was  a pleasure  simply  to  listen  to  the  sound 
of  the  language,  before  I could  attach  any  meaning  to  it. 
They  have  a good  deal  of  the  Creole  drawl,  but  it  is  varied 
with  an  occasional  extreme  rapidity  of  utterance,  in  which 
they  seem  to  skip  from  consonant  to  consonant,  until, 
lighting  upon  a broad,  open  vowel,  they  rest  upon  that 
to  restore  the  balance  of  sound.  The  women  carry  this 
peculiarity  of  speaking  to  a much  greater  extreme  than  the 
men,  who  have  more  evenness  and  stateliness  of  utterance. 
A common  bullock-driver,  on  horseback,  delivering  a 
message,  seemed  to  speak  like  an  ambassador  at  an  audi- 
ence. In  fact,  they  sometimes  appeared  to  me  to  be  a 
people  on  whom  a curse  had  fallen,  and  stripped  them  of 
everything  but  their  pride,  their  manners  and  their  voiceSo 

Another  thing  that  surprised  me  was  the  quantity  of 
silver  that  was  in  circulation.  I certainly  never  saw  so 
much  silver  at  one  time  in  my  life,  as  during  the  week  that 
we  were  at  Monterey.  The  truth  is,  they  have  no  credit 
system,  no  banks,  and  no  way  of  investing  money  but  in 
cattle.  They  have  no  circulating  medium  but  silver  and 
hides — which  the  sailors  call  “ California  bank  notes.” 
Everything  that  they  buy  they  must  pay  for  in  one  or  the 
other  of  these  things.  The  hides  they  bring  down  dried 
and  doubled,  in  clumsy  ox-carts,  or  upon  mules’  backs,  and 
the  money  they  carry  tied  up  in  a handkerchief ; — fifty, 
eighty,  or  an  hundred  dollars  and  half  dollars. 

I had  never  studied  Spanish  while  at  college,  and  could 
not  speak  a word,  when  at  Juan  Fernandez  ; but  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  passage  out,  I borrowed  a grammar  and 
dictionary  from  the  cabin,  and  by  a continual  use  of  these, 
and  a careful  attention  to  every  word  that  I heard  spoken, 
I soon  got  a vocabulary  together,  and  began  talking  for 
myself.  As  I soon  knew  more  Spanish  than  any  of  the 
crew,  (who  indeed  knew  none  at  all,)  and  had  been  at 
college  and  knew  Latin,  I got  the  name  of  a great  linguist, 
and  was  always  sent  by  the  captain  and  officers  to  get  pro- 
visions, or  to  carry  letters  and  messages  to  different  parts 


7 6 TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

of  the  town.  I was  often  sent  to  get  something  which  I 
could  not  tell  the  name  of  to  save  my  life  ; but  I liked  the 
business,  and  accordingly  never  pleaded  ignorance.  Some- 
times I managed  to  jump  below  and  take  a look  at  my 
dictionary  before  going  ashore  ; or  else  I overhauled  some 
English  resident  on  my  way,  and  got  the  word  from  him  ; 
and  then,  by  signs,  and  the  help  of  my  Latin  and  French, 
contrived  to  get  along.  This  was  a good  exercise  for  me, 
and  no  doubt  taught  me  more  than  I should  have  learned 
by  months  of  study  and  reading ; it  also  gave  me  opportu- 
nities of  seeing  the  customs,  characters,  and  domestic 
arrangements  of  the  people  ; beside  being  a great  relief 
from  the  monotony  of  a day  spent  on  board  ship. 

Monterey,  as  far  as  my  observation  goes,  is  decidedly 
the  pleasantest  and  most  civilized-looking  place  in  Cali- 
fornia. In  the  centre  of  it  is  an  open  square,  surrounded 
by  four  lines  of  one-story  plastered  buildings,  with  half  a 
dozen  cannon  in  the  centre  ; some  mounted,  and  others  not, 
This  is  the  “ Presidio,”  or  fort.  Every  towm  has  a pre- 
sidio in  its  centre  ; or  rather,  every  presidio  has  a town 
built  around  it ; for  the  forts  were  first  built  by  the  Mexican 
government,  and  then  the  people  built  near  them  for  pro- 
tection. The  presidio  here  was  entirely  open  and  unfortified. 
There  were  several  officers  with  long  titles,  and  about 
eighty  soldiers,  but  they  were  poorly  paid,  fed,  clothed  and 
disciplined.  The  governor-general,  or,  as  he  is  commonly 
called,  the  “ general,”  lives  here  ; which  makes  it  the  seat 
of  government.  Pie  is  appointed  by  the  central  govern- 
ment at  Mexico,  and  is  the  chief  civil  and  military  officer. 
In  addition  to  him,  each  town  has  a commandant,  who  is 
the  chief  military  officer,  and  has  charge  of  the  fort,  and 
of  all  transactions  with  foreigners  and  foreign  vessels  ; and 
two  or  three  alcaldis  and  corregidores,  elected  by  the  in- 
habitants, who  are  the  civil  officers.  Courts  and  jurispru- 
dence they  have  no  knowledge  of.  Small  municipal  matters 
are  regulated  by  the  alcaldis  and  corregidores  ; and  every- 
thing relating  to  the  general  government,  to  the  military, 
and  to  foreigners,  by  the  commandants,  acting  under  the 
governor-general.  Capital  cases  are  decided  by  him,  upon 
personal  inspection,  if  he  is  near ; or  upon  minutes  sent  by 
the  proper  officers,  if  the  offender  is  at  a distant  place.  No 
Protestant  has  any  civil  rights,  nor  can  he  hold  any 


TWO  YEATS  L EEC  RE  TEE  MAST. 


11 


property,  or,  indeed,  remain  more  than  a few  weeks  on 
shore,  unless  he  belonged  to  some  vessel.  Consequently,  the 
Americans  and  English  who  intend  to  reside  here  become 
Catholics,  to  a man ; the  current  phrase  among  them 
being, — “ A man  must  leave  his  conscience  at  Cape  Horn.” 

But  to  return  to  Monterey.  The  houses  here,  as  every- 
where else  in  California,  are  of  one  story,  built  of  clay  made 
into  large  bricks,  about  a foot  and  a half  square  and  three 
or  four  inches  thick,  and  hardened  in  the  sun.  These  are 
cemented  together  by  mortar  of  the  same  material,  and  the 
whole  are  of  common  dirt-color.  The  floors  are  generally 
of  earth,  the  windows  grated  and  without  glass  ; and  the 
doors,  which  are  seldom  shut,  open  directly  into  the  com- 
mon room  ; there  being  no  entries.  Some  of  the  more 
wealthy  inhabitants  have  glass  to  their  windows  and  board 
floors ; and  in  Monterey  nearly  all  the  houses  are  plaster- 
ed on  the  outside.  The  better  houses,  too,  have  red  tiles 
upon  the  roofs.  The  common  ones  have  two  or  three 
rooms  which  open  into  each  other,  and  are  furnished  with 
a bed  or  two,  a few  chairs  and  tables,  a looking-glass,  a 
crucifix  of  some  material  or  other,  and  small  daubs  of 
paintings  enclosed  in  glass,  and  representing  some  miracle 
or  martydom.  They  have  no  chimneys  or  fireplaces  in  the 
houses,  the  climate  being  such  as  to  make  a fire  unneces- 
sary ; and  all  their  cooking  is  done  in  a small  cook-house, 
separated  from  the  house.  The  Indians,  as  I have  said 
before,  do  all  the  hard  work,  two  or  three  being  attached 
to  each  house  ; and  the  poorest  persons  are  able  to  keep 
one,  at  least,  for  they  have  only  to  feed  them  and  give 
them  a small  piece  of  coarse  cloth  and  a belt,  for  the 
males  ; and  a coarse  gown,  without  shoes  or  stockings,  for 
the  females. 

In  Monterey  there  are  a number  of  English  and  Ameri- 
cans (English  or  “ Ingles  ” all  are  called  who  speak  the 
English  language)  who  have  married  Californians,  be- 
come united  to  the  Catholic  church,  and  acquired  con- 
siderable property.  Having  more  industry,  frugality,  and 
enterprise  than  the  natives,  they  soon  get  nearly  all  the 
trade  into  their  hands.  They  usually  keep  shops,  in  which 
they  retail  the  goods  purchased  in  larger  quantities  from 
our  vessels,  and  also  send  a good  deal  into  the  interior, 
taking  hides  in  pay,  which  they  again  barter  with  our 


•jS  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

vessels.  In  every  town  on  the  coast  there  are  foreigners 
engaged  in  this  kind  of  trade,  \yhile  I recollect  bat  two 
shops  kept  by  natives.  The  people  are  naturally  suspici- 
ous of  foreigners,  and  they  would  not  be  allowed  to  re- 
main, were  it  not  that  they  become  good  Catholics,  and  by 
marrying  natives,  and  bringing  up  their  children  as  Catho 
lies  and  Spaniards,  and  not  teaching  them  the  English 
language,  they  quiet  suspicion,  and  even  become  popular 
and  leading  men.  The  chief  alcaldis  in  Monterey  and 
Santa  Barbara  were  both  Yankees  by  birth. 

The  men  in  Monterey  appeared  to  me  to  be  always 
on  horseback.  Horses  are  as  abundant  here  as  dogs  and 
chickens  were  in  Juan  Fernandez.  There  are  no  stables 
to  keep  them  in,  but  they  are  allowed  to  run  wild  and 
graze  wherever  they  please,  being  branded,  and  having 
long  leather  ropes,  called  “ lassos  ” attached  to  their 
necks  and  dragging  along  behind  them,  by  which  they  can 
be  easily  taken.  The  men  usually  catch  one  in  the  morn- 
ing, throw  a saddle  and  bridle  upon  him,  and  use  him  for 
the  day,  and  let  him  go  at  night,  catching  another  the 
next  day.  When  they  go  on  long  journeys,  they  ride  one 
horse  down,  and  catch  another,  throw  the  saddle  and  bridle 
upon  him,  and  after  riding  him  down,  take  a third,  and  so 
on  to  the  end  of  the  journey.  There  are  probably  no  better 
riders  in  the  world.  They  get  upon  a horse  when  only 
four  or  five  years  old,  their  little  legs  not  long  enough  to 
come  half  way  over  his  sides  ; and  may  almost  be  said  to 
keep  on  him  until  they  have  grown  to  him.  Thp  stirrups 
are  covered  or  boxed  up  in  front,  to  prevent  their  catch- 
ing when  riding  through  the  woods ; and  the  saddles  are 
large  and  heavy,  strapped  very  tight  upon  the  horse,  and 
have  large  pommels,  or  loggerheads,  in  front,  round  which 
the  “ lasso  ” is  coiled  when  not  in  use.  They  can  hardly 
go  from  one  house  to  another  without  getting  on  a horse, 
there  being  generally  several  standing  tied  to  the  door- 
posts of  the  little  cottages.  When  they  wish  to  show  their 
activity,  they  make  no  use  of  their  stirrups  in  mounting, 
but  striking  the  horse,  spring  into  the  saddle  as  he  starts, 
and  sticking  their  long  spurs  into  him,  go  off  on  the  full 
run.  Their  spurs  are  cruel  things,  having  four  or  five 
rowels,  each  an  inch  in  length,  dull  and  rusty.  The  flanks 
of  the  horses  are  often  sore  from  them,  and  I have  seen 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


79 

men  come  in  from  chasing  bullocks  with  their  horses'  hind 
legs  and  quarters  covered  with  blood.  They  frequently 
give  exhibitions  of  their  horsemanship,  in  races,  bull-bait- 
ings, etc. ; but  as  we  were  not  ashore  during  any  holi- 
day, we  saw  nothing  of  it.  Monterey  is  also  a great  place 
for  cock-fighting,  gambling  of  all  sorts,  fandangos,  and 
every  kind  of  amusement  and  knavery.  Trappers  and 
hunters,  who  occasionally  arrive  here  from  over  the  Rocky 
mountains,  with  their  valuable  skins  and  furs,  are  often 
entertained  with  every  sort  of  amusements  and  dissipation, 
until  they  have  wasted  their  time  and  their  money,  and  go 
back,  stripped  of  everything. 

Nothing  but  the  character  of  the  people  prevents 
Monterey  from  becoming  a great  town.  The  soil  is  as 
rich  as  man  could  wish ; climate  as  good  as  any  in  the 
world  ; water  abundant,  and  situation  extremely  beautiful. 
The  harbor,  too,  is  a good  one,  being  subject  only  to  one 
bad  wind,  the  north  ; and  though  the  holding-ground  is 
not  the  best,  yet  I heard  of  but  one  vessel's  being  driven 
ashore  here.  That  was  a Mexican  brig,  which  went 
ashore  a few  months  before  our  arrival,  and  was  a total 
wreck,  all  the  crew  but  one  being  drowned.  Yet  this  was 
from  the  carelessness  or  ignorance  of  the  captain,  who 
paid  out  all  his  small  cable  before  he  let  go  his  other 
anchor.  The  ship  Lagoda,  of  Boston,  was  there  at  the 
time,  and  rode  out  the  gale  in  safety,  without  dragging  at 
all,  or  finding  it  necessary  to  strike  her  top-gallant  masts. 

The  only  vessel  in  port  with  us  was  the  little  Loriotte. 
I frequently  went  on  board  her,  and  became  very  well  ac- 
quainted with  her  Sandwich  Island  crew.  One  of  them 
could  speak  a little  English,  and  from  him  I learned  a 
good  deal  about  them.  They  were  well  formed  and  ac- 
tive, with  black  eyes,  intelligent  countenances,  dark-olive, 
or,  I should  rather  say,  copper  complexions,  and  coarse 
black  hair,  but  not  woolly  like  the  negroes.  They  ap- 
peared to  be  talking  continually.  In  the  forecastle  there 
was  a complete  Babel.  Their  language  is  extremely  gut- 
tural, and  not  pleasant  at  first,  but  improves  as  you  hear 
it  more,  and  is  said  to  have  great  capacity.  They  use  a 
good  deal  of  gesticulation,  and  are  exceedingly  animated, 
saying  with  their  might  what  their  tongues  find  to  say. 
They  are  complete  water-dogs,  and  therefore  very  good  in 


So  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

boating.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  there  are  so  many  of 
them  on  the  coast  of  California ; they  being  very  good 
hands  in  the  surf.  They  are  also  quick  and  active  in  the 
rigging,  and  good  hands  in  warm  weather ; but  those  who 
have  been  with  them  round  Cape  Horn,  and  in  high  lati- 
tudes, say  that  they  are  useless  in  cold  weather.  In  their 
dress  they  are  precisely  like  our  sailors.  In  addition  to 
these  Islanders,  the  vessel  had  two  English  sailors,  who 
acted  as  boatswains  over  the  Islanders,  and  took  care  of 
the  rigging.  One  of  them  I shall  always  remember  as  the 
best  specimen  of  the  thorough-bred  English  sailor  that  I 
ever  saw.  He  had  been  to  sea  from  a boy,  having  served 
a regular  apprenticeship  of  seven  years,  as  all  English 
sailors  are  obliged  to  do,  and  was  then  about  four  or  five 
and-twenty.  He  was  tall ; but  you  only  perceived  it  when 
he  was  standing  by  the  side  of  others,  for  the  great  breadth 
of  his  shoulders  and  chest  made  him  appear  but  little 
above  the  middle  height.  His  chest  was  as  deep  as  it  was 
wide ; his  arm  like  that  of  Hercules ; and  his  hand  “ the 
fist  of  a tar — every  hair  a rope-yarn.”  With  all  this  he 
had  one  of  the  pleasantest  smiles  I ever  saw.  His  cheeks 
were  of  a handsome  brown  ; his  teeth  brilliantly  white  ; 
and  his  hair,  of  a raven  black,  waved  in  loose  curls  all 
over  his  head,  and  fine,  open  forehead  ; and  his  eyes  he 
might  have  sold  to  a duchess  at  the  price  of  diamonds, 
for  their  brilliancy.  As  for  their  color,  they  were  like  the 
Irishman’s  pig,  which  would  not  stay  to  be  counted  ; every 
change  of  position  and  light  seemed  to  give  them  a new 
hue  ; but  their  prevailing  color  was  black,  or  nearly  so. 
Take  him  with  his  well-varnished  black  tarpaulin  stuck 
upon  the  back  of  his  head  ; his  long  locks  coming  down 
almost  into  his  eyes  ; his  white  duck  trowsers  and  shirt ; 
blue  jacket,  and  black  kerchief,  tied  loosely  round  his 
neck  ; and  he  was  a fine  specimen  of  manly  beauty.  On 
his  broad  chest  he  had  stamped  with  India  ink  “ Parting 
moments  ; ” — a ship  ready  to  sail ; a boat  on  the  beach; 
and  a girl  and  her  sailor  lover  taking  their  farewell.  Un- 
derneath were  printed  the  initials  of  his  own  name,  and 
two  other  letters,  standing  for  some  name  which  he  knew 
better  than  I did.  This  was  very  well  done,  having  been 
executed  by  a man  who  made  it  his  business  to  print  with 
India  ink,  for  sailors,  at  Havre.  On  one  of  his  broad 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  TIIE  MAST.  8l 

arms  he  had  the  crucifixion,  and  on  the  other  the  sign  of 
the  “ foul  anchor.” 

He  was  very  fond  of  reading,  and  we  lent  him  most  of 
the  books  which  we  had  in  the  forecastle,  which  he  read 
and  returned  to  us  the  next  time  we  fell  in  with  him.  He 
had  a good  deal  of  information,  and  his  captain  said  he 
was  a perfect  seaman,  and  worth  his  weight  in  gold 
on  board  a vessel,  in  fair  weather  and  in  foul.  His 
strength  must  have  been  immense,  and  he  had  the  sight 
of  a vulture.  It  is  strange  that  one  should  be  so  minute 
in  the  description  of  an  unknown,  outcast  sailor,  whom  one 
may  never  see  again,  and  whom  no  one  may  care  to  hear 
about ; but  so  it  is.  Some  people  we  see  under  no  re- 
markable circumstances,  but  whom,  for  some  reason  or 
other,  we  never  forget.  He  called  himself  Bill  Jackson; 
and  I know  no  one  of  all  my  accidental  acquaintances  to 
whom  I would  more  gladly  give  a shake  of  the  hand  than 
to  him.  Whoever  falls  in  with  him  will  find  a handsome, 
hearty  fellow,  and  a good  shipmate. 

Sunday  came  again  while  we  were  at  Monterey,  but, 
as  before,  it  brought  us  no  holiday.  The  people  on  shore 
dressed  themselves  and  came  off  in  greater  numbers  than 
ever,  and  we  were  employed  all  day  in  boating  and  breaking 
out  cargo,  so  that  we  had  hardly  time  to  eat.  Our  ci- 
devant  second  mate,  who  was  determined  to  get  liberty  if 
it  was  to  be  had,  dressed  himself  in  a long  coat  and  black 
hat,  and  polished  his  shoes,  and  went  aft  and  asked  to  go 
ashore.  He  could  not  have  done  a more  imprudent  thing ; 
for  he  knew  that  no  liberty  would  be  given ; and  besides, 
sailors,  however  sure  they  may  be  of  having  liberty  granted 
them,  always  go  aft  in  their  working  clothes,  to  appear  as 
though  they  had  no  reason  to  expect  anything,  and  then 
wash,  dress,  and  shave,  after  they  have  got  their  liberty. 
But  this  poor  fellow  was  always  getting  into  hot  water,  and 
if  there  was  a wrong  way  of  doing  a thing,  was  sure  to 
hit  upon  it.  We  looked  to  see  him  go  aft,  knowing  pretty 
well  what  his  reception  would  be*  Tlje  captain  was  walk- 
the  quarter-deck,  smoking  his  morning  cigar,  and  Foster 
went  as  far  as  the  break  of  the  deck,  and  there  waited  for 
him  to  notice  him.  The  captain  took  two  or  three  turns, 
and  then  walking  directly  up  to  him,  surveyed  him  from 
head  to  foot,  and  lifting  up  his  forefinger,  said  a word  o/ 


82 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


two,  in  a tone  too  low  for  us  to  hear,  but  which  had  a 
magical  effect  upon  poor  Foster.  He  walked  forward, 
sprang  into  the  forecastle,  and  in  a moment  more  made  his 
appearance  in  his  common  clothes,  and  went  quietly  to 
work  again.  What  the  captain  said  to  him,  we  never 
could  get  him  to  tell  us,  but  it  certainly  changed  him  out- 
wardly and  inwardly  in  a most  surprising  manner. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

After  a few  days,  finding  the  trade  beginning  to 
slacken,  we  hove  our  anchor  up,  set  our  topsails,  ran  the 
stars  and  stripes  up  to  the  peak,  fired  a gun,  which  was 
returned  from  the  presidio,  and  left  the  little  town  astern, 
running  out  of  the  bay,  and  bearing  down  the  coast  again, 
for  Santa  Barbara.  As  we  were  now  going  to  leeward,  we 
had  a fair  wind  and  a plenty  of  it.  After  doubling  Point 
Pinos,  we  bore  up,  set  studding-sails  alow  and  aloft,  and 
were  walking  off  at  the  rate  of  eight  or  nine  knots,  prom- 
ising to  traverse  in  twenty-four  hours  the  distance  which 
we  were  nearly  three  weeks  in  traversing  on  the  passage 
up.  We  passed  Point  Conception  at  a flying  rate,  the 
wind  blowing  so  that  it  would  have  seemed  half  a gale  to 
us,  if  we  had  been  going  the  other  way  and  close  hauled. 
As  we  drew  near  the  islands  off  Santa  Barbara,  it  died 
away  a little,  but  we  came-to  at  our  old  anchoring-ground 
in  less  than  thirty  hours  from  the  time  of  leaving  Mon- 
terey. 

Here  everything  was  pretty  much  as  we  left  it — the 
large  bay  without  a vessel  in  it ; the  surf  roaring  and  roll 
ing  in  upon  the  beach ; the  white  mission ; the  dark  town, 
and  the  high,  treeless  mountains.  Here,  too,  we  had  our 
southeaster  tacks  aboard  again, — slip-ropes,  buoy-ropes, 
sails  furled  with  reefs  in  them,  and  rope-yarns  for  gaskets. 
We  lay  here  about  a fortnight,  employed  in  landing  goods 
and  taking  off  hides,  occasionally,  when  the  surf  was  not 
high ; but  there  did  not  appear  to  be  one  half  the  business 
doing  here  that  there  was  in  Monterey.  In  fact,  so  far  as 
we  were  concerned,  the  town  might  almost  as  well  have 
been  in  the  middle  of  the  Cordilleras.  We  lay  at  a dis- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TEE  MAST  83 

tance  of  three  miles  from  the  beach,  and  the  town  was 
nearly  a mile  further;  so  that  we  saw  little  or  nothing  of 
it.  Occasionally  we  landed  a few  goods,  which  were 
taken  away  by  Indians  in  large,  clumsy  ox-carts,  with 
the  yoke  on  the  ox’s  neck  instead  of  under  it,  and  with 
small  solid  wheels.  A few  hides  were  brought  down, 
which  we  carried  off  in  the  California  style.  This  we  had 
now  got  pretty  well  accustomed  to  ; and  hardened  to  also  ; 
for  it  does  require  a little  hardening,  even  to  the  toughest. 

The  hides  are  always  brought  down  dry,  or  they  would 
not  be  received.  When  they  are  taken  from  the  animal, 
they  have  holes  cut  in  the  ends,  and  are  staked  out,  and 
thus  dried  in  the  sun  without  shrinking.  They  are  then 
doubled  once,  lengthwise,  with  the  hair  side  usually  in, 
and  sent  down  upon  mules  or  in  carts,  and  piled  above 
high-water  mark ; and  then  we  take  them  upon  our  heads, 
one  at  a time,  or  two,  if  they  are  small,  and  wade  out  with 
them  and  throw  them  into  the  boat,  which,  as  there  are  no 
wharves,  we  usually  kept  anchored  by  a small  hedge,  or 
keeleg,  just  outside  of  the  surf.  We  all  provided  ourselves 
with  thick  Scotch  caps,  which  would  be  soft  to  the  head, 
and  at  the  same  time  protect  it ; for  we  soon  found  that 
however  it  might  look  or  feel  at  first,  the  “ head-work  ” was 
the  only  system  for  California.  For  besides  that  the  seas, 
breaking  high,  often  obliged  us  to  carry  the  hides  so,  in 
order  to  keep  them  dry,  we  found  that,  as  they  were 
very  large  and  heavy,  and  nearly  as  stiff  as  boards, 
it  was  the  only  way  that  we  could  carry  them  with  any  con- 
venience to  ourselves.  Some  of  the  crew  tried  other 
expedients,  saying  that  that  looked  too  much  like  West 
India  negroes;  but  they  all  came  to  it  at  last.  The  great 
art  is  in  getting  them  on  the  head.  We  had  to  take  them 
from  the  ground,  and  as  they  were  often  very  heavy,  and 
as  wide  as  the  arms  could  stretch,  and  easily  taken  bv  the 
wind,  we  used  to  have  some  trouble  with  them.  I have 
often  been  laughed  at  myself,  and  joined  in  laughing  at 
others,  pitching  themselves  down  in  the  sand,  trying  to 
swing  a large  hide  upon  their  heads,  or  nearly  blown  over 
with  one  in  a little  gust  of  wind.  The  captain  made  it 
harder  for  us,  by  telling  us  that  it  was  “ California  fashion  ” 
to  carry  two  on  the  head  at  a time;  and  as  he  insisted 
upon  it,  and  we  did  not  wish  to  be  outdone  by  other  vefr 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


S4 

sels,  we  carried  two  for  the  first  few  months ; but  after 
falling  in  with  a few  other  “ hide  droghers.0  and  finding 
that  they  carried  only  one  at  a time,  we  “knocked  off” 
the  extra  one,  and  thus  made  our  duty  somewhat  easier. 

After  we  had  got  our  heads  used  to  the  weight,  and 
had  learned  the  true  California  style  of  tossing  a hide , we 
could  carry  off  two  or  three  hundred  in  a short  time,  with- 
out much  trouble  ; but  it  was  always  wet  work,  and,  if  the 
beach  was  stony,  bad  for  our  feet : for  we,  of  course,  always 
went  barefooted  on  this  duty,  as  no  shoes  could  stand 
such  constant  wetting  with  salt  water.  Then,  too,  we  had 
a long  pull  of  three  miles,  with  a loaded  boat,  which  often 
took  a couple  of  hours. 

We  had  now  got  well  settled  down  into  our  harbor 
duties,  which,  as  they  are  a good  deal  different  from  those 
at  sea,  it  may  be  well  enough  to  describe.  In  the  first 
place,  all  hands  are  called  at  daylight,  or  rather — especially 
if  the  days  are  short — before  daylight,  as  soon  as  the  first 
gray  of  the  morning.  The  cook  makes  his  fire  in  the 
galley;  the  steward  goes  about  his  work  in  the  cabin  ^ and 
the  crew  rig  the  head  pump,  and  wash  down  the  decks. 
The  chief  mate  is  always  on  deck,  but  takes  no  active  part, 
all  the  duty  coming  upon  the  second  mate,  who  has  to  roll 
up  his  trowsers  and  paddle  about  deck  barefooted  like  the 
rest  of  the  crew.  The  washing,  swabbing,  squilgeeing, 
etc.,  lasts,  or  is  made  to  last,  until  eight  o’clock,  when 
breakfast  is  ordered,  fore  and  aft.  After  breakfast,  for 
which  half  an  hour  is  allowed,  the  boats  are  lowered  down, 
and  made  fast  astern,  or  out  to  the  swinging  booms,  by 
gaswarps,  and  the  crew  are  turned-to  upon  their  day’s 
work.  This  is  various,  and  its  character  depends  upon 
circumstances.  There  is  always  more  or  less  of  boating, 
in  small  boats ; and  if  heavy  goods  are  to  be  taken  ashore, 
or  hides  are  brought  down  to  the  beach  for  us,  then  all 
hands  are  sent  ashore  with  an  officer  in  the  long-boat. 
Then  there  is  always  a good  deal  to  be  done  in  the  hold  : 
goods  to  be  broken  out ; and  cargo  to  be  shifted,  to  make 
room  for  hides,  or  to  keep  the  trim  of  the  vessel.  In 
addition  to  this,  the  usual  work  upon  the  rigging  must  be 
going  on.  There  is  a good  deal  of  the  latter  kind  of 
work  which  can  only  be  done  when  the  vessel  is  in  port , 
and  then  everything  must  be  kept  taught  and  in  good 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*5 

order ; spun-yarn  made  ; chafing  gear  repaired  ; and  all 
the  other  ordinary  work.  The  great  difference  between 
sea  and  harbor  duty  is  in  the  division  of  time.  Instead  of 
having  a watch  on  deck  and  a watch  below,  as  at  sea,  all 
hands  are  at  work  together,  except  at  meal  times,  from  day- 
light till  dark ; and  at  night  an  “ anchor-watch  ” is  kept 
which  consists  of  only  two  at  a time  ; the  whole  crew 
taking  turns.  An  hour  is  allowed  for  dinner,  and  at  dark, 
the  decks  are  cleared  up ; the  boats  hoisted ; supper 
ordered  ; and  at  eight,  the  lights  put  out,  except  in  the 
binnacle,  where  the  glass  stands  ; and  the  anchor-watch  is 
set.  Thus,  when  at  anchor,  the  crew  have  more  time  at 
night,  (standing  watch  only  about  two  hours,)  but  have  no 
time  to  themselves  in  the  day ; so  that  reading,  mending 
clothes,  etc.,  has  to  be  put  off  until  Sunday,  which  is 
usually  given.  Some  religious  captains  give  their  crews 
Saturday  afternoon  to  do  their  washing  and  mending  in, 
so  that  they  may  have  their  Sundays  free.  This  is  a good 
arrangement,  and  does  much  toward  creating  the  prefer- 
ence sailors  usually  show  for  religious  vessels.  We  were 
well  satisfied  if  we  got  Sunday  to  ourselves,  for,  if  any 
hides  came  down  on  that  day,  as  was  often  the  case  when 
they  were  brought  from  a distance,  we  were  obliged  to 
bring  them  off,  which  usually  took  half  a day ; and  as  we 
now  lived  on  fresh  beef,  and  ate  one  bullock  a week,  the 
animal  was  almost  always  brought  down  on  Sunday,  and 
we  had  to  go  ashore,  kill  it,  dress  it,  and  bring  it  aboard, 
which  was  another  interruption.  Then,  too,  our  common 
day’s  work  was  protracted  and  made  more  fatiguing  by 
hides  coining  down  late  in  the  afternoon,  which  sometimes 
kept  us  at  work  in  the  surf  by  star-light,  with  the  prospect 
of  pulling  on  board,  and  stowing  them  all  away,  before 
supper. 

But  all  these  little  vexations  and  labors  would  have 
been  nothing,  they  would  have  been  passed  by  as  the  com- 
mon evils  of  a sea-life,  which  every  sailor  who  is  a man 
will  go  through  without  complaint, — were  it  not  for  the  un- 
certainty, or  worse  than  uncertainty,  which  hung  over  the 
nature  and  length  of  our  voyage.  Here  we  were,  in  a 
little  vessel,  with  a small  crew,  on  a half-civilized  coast,  at 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  with  a prospect  of  remaining  an 
indefinite  period,  two  or  three  years  at  the  least.  When 


86 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


we  left  Boston  we  supposed  that  it  was  to  be  a voyage  of 
eighteen  months,  or  two  years,  at  most ; but  upon  arriving 
on  the  coast,  we  learned  something  more  of  the  trade,  and 
found  that  in  the  scarcity  of  hides,  which  was  yearly 
greater  and  greater,  it  would  take  us  a year,  at  least,  to 
collect  our  own  cargo,  beside  the  passage  out  and  home  ; 
and  that  we  were  also  to  collect  a cargo  for  a large  ship 
belonging  to  the  same  firm,  which  was  soon  to  come  on  the 
coast,  and  to  which  we  were  to  act  as  tender.  We  had 
heard  rumors  of  such  a ship  to  follow  us,  which  had  leaked 
out  from  the  captain  and  mate,  but  we  passed  them  by  as 
mere  “ yarns,”  till  our  arrival,  when  they  were  confirmed 
by  the  letters  which  we  brought  from  the  owners  to  their 
agent.  The  ship  California,  belonging  to  the  same  firm, 
had  been  nearly  two  years  on  the  coast ; had  collected  a 
full  cargo,  and  was  now  at  San  Diego,  from  which  port  she 
was  expected  to  sail  in  a few  weeks  for  Boston ; and  we 
were  to  collect  all  the  hides  we  could,  and  deposit  them 
at  San  Diego,  when  the  new  ship,  which  would  carry  forty 
thousand,  was  to  be  filled  and  sent  home  ; and  then  we 
were  to  begin  anew,  and  collect  our  own  cargo.  Here 
was  a gloomy  prospect  before  us,  indeed.  The  California 
had  been  twenty  months  on  the  coast,  and  the  Lagoda,  a 
smaller  ship,  carrying  only  thirty-one  or  thirty-two  thou- 
sand, had  been  two  years  getting  her  cargo  ; and  we  were 
to  collect  a cargo  of  forty  thousand  beside  our  own,  which 
would  be  twelve  or  fifteen  thousand ; and  hides  were  said 
to  be  growing  scarcer.  Then,  too,  this  ship,  which  had 
been  to  us  a worse  phantom  than  any  flying  Dutchman, 
was  no  phantom,  or  ideal  thing,  but  had  been  reduced  to  a 
certainty  ; so  much  so  that  a name  was  given  her,  and  it 
was  said  that  she  was  to  be  the  Alert,  a well-known  India- 
man,  which  was  expected  in  Boston  in  a few  months, 
when  we  sailed.  There  could  be  no  doubt,  and  all  looked 
black  enough.  Hints  were  thrown  out  about  three  years 
and  four  years  ; — the  older  sailors  said  they  never  should 
see  Boston  again,  but  should  lay  their  bones  in  California ; 
and  a cloud  seemed  to  hang  over  the  whole  voyage.  Be- 
sides, we  were  not  provided  for  so  long  a voyage,  and 
clothes,  and  all  sailors’  necessaries,  were  excessively  dear 
— three  or  four  hundred  per  cent,  advance  upon  the  Boston 
prices.  This  was  bad  enough  for  them  : but  still  worse 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  87 

was  it  for  me,  who  did  not  mean  to  be  a sailor  for  life  ; 
having  intended  only  to  be  gone  eighteen  months  or  two 
years.  Three  or  four  years  would  make  me  a sailor  in 
every  respect,  mind  and  habits,  as  well  as  body — nolens 
volens  ; and  would  put  all  my  companions  so  far  ahead  of 
me  that  college  and  a profession  would  be  in  vain  to  think 
of ; and  I made  up  my  mind  that,  feel  as  I might,  a sailor 
I must  be,  and  to  be  master  of  a vessel,  must  be  the  height 
of  my  ambition. 

Beside  the  length  of  the  voyage,  and  the  hard  and  ex- 
posed life,  we  were  at  the  ends  of  the  earth  ; on  a coast 
almost  solitary;  in  a country  where  there  is  neither  law  nor 
gospel,  and  where  sailors  are  at  their  captain’s  mercy,  there 
being  no  American  consul,  or  any  one  to  whom  a com- 
plaint could  be  made.  We  lost  all  interest  in  the  voyage ; 
cared  nothing  about  the  cargo,  which  we  were  only  collect- 
ing for  others ; began  to  patch  our  clothes  ; and  felt  as  though 
we  were  fixed  beyond  all  hope  of  change. 

In  addition  to,  and  perhaps  partly  as  a consequence  of, 
this  state  of  things,  there  was  trouble  brewing  on  board 
the  vessel.  Our  mate  (as  the  first  mate  is  always  called, 
par  excellence)  was  a worthy  man  ; — a more  honest,  upright, 
and  kind-hearted  man  I never  saw ; but  he  was  too  good 
for  the  mate  of  a merchantman.  He  was  not  the  man  to 
call  a sailor  a <c  son  of  a b — h,”  and  knock  him  down  with 
a handspike.  He  wanted  the  energy  and  spirit  for  such  a 

voyage  as  ours,  and  for  such  a captain.  Captain  T was 

a vigorous,  energetic  fellow.  As  sailors  say,  “ he  hadn’t  a 
lazy  bone  in  him.”  He  was  made  of  steel  and  whalebone, 
lie  was  a man  to  “ toe  the  mark,”  and  to  make  every  one 
else  step  up  to  it.  During  all  the  time  that  I was  with 
him,  I never  saw  him  sit  down  on  deck.  He  was  always 
active  and  driving;  severe  in  his  discipline,  and  expected 
the  same  of  his  officers.  The  mate  not  being  enough  of  a 
driver  for  him,  and  being  perhaps  too  easy  with  the  crew, 
he  was  dissatisfied  with  him,  became  suspicious  that  dis- 
cipline was  getting  relaxed,  and  began  to  interfere  in 
everything.  He  drew  the  reins  taughter ; and  as,  in  all 
quarrels  between  officers,  the  sailors  side  with  the  one 
who  treats  them  best,  he  became  suspicious  of  the  crew. 
He  saw  that  everything  went  wrong — that  nothing  was 
done  “ with  a will ;”  and  in  his  attempts  to  remedy  the 


88 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


difficulty  by  severity,  he  made  everything  worse.  We 
were  in  every  respect  unfortunately  situated.  Captain, 
officers,  and  crew,  entirely  unfitted  for  one  another ; and 
every  circumstance  and  event  was  like  a two-edged  sword, 
and  cut  both  ways.  The  length  of  the  voyage,  which 
made  us  dissatisfied,  made  the  captain,  at  the  same  time, 
feel  the  necessity  of  order  and  strict  discipline ; and  the 
nature  of  the  country,  which  caused  us  to  feel  that  we  had 
nowhere  to  go  for  redress,  but  were  entirely  at  the  mercy 
of  a hard  master,  made  the  captain  feel,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  he  must  depend  entirely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources. Severity  created  discontent,  and  signs  of  discon- 
tent provoked  severity.  Then,  too  ill-treatment  and  dissatis- 
faction are  no  “ linimenta  laborum ; ” and  many  a time 
have  I heard  the  sailors  say  that  they  should  not  mind  the 
length  of  the  voyage,  and  the  hardships,  if  they  were  only 
kindly  treated,  and  if  they  could  feel  that  something  was 
done  to  make  things  lighter  and  easier.  We  felt  as 
though  our  situation  was  a call  upon  our  superiors  to  give 
us  occasional  relaxations,  and  to  make  our  yoke  easier. 
But  the  contrary  policy  was  pursued.  We  were  kept 
at  work  all  day  when  in  port ; which,  together  with  a 
watch  at  night,  made  us  glad  to  turn  in  as  soon  as  we  got 
below.  Thus  we  got  no  time  for  reading,  or — which  was  of 
more  importance  to  us — for  washing  and  mending  our 
clothes.  And  then,  when  we  were  at  sea,  sailing  from 
port  to  port,  instead  of  giving  us  “ watch  and  watch,”  as 
was  the  custom  on  board  every  other  vessel  on  the  coast, 
we  were  all  kept  on  deck  and  at  work,  rain  or  shine, 
making  spun  yarn  and  rope,  and  at  other  work  in  good 
weather,  and  picking  oakum,  when  it  was  too  wet  for  any- 
thing else.  All  hands  were  called  to  “ come  up  and  see 
it  rain,”  and  kept  on  deck  hour  after  hour  in  a drenching 
rain,  standing  round  the  deck  so  far  apart  as  to  prevent 
our  talking  with  one  another,  with  our  tarpaulins  and  oil- 
jackets  on,  picking  old  rope  to  pieces,  or  laying  up 
gaskets  and  robands.  This  was  often  done,  too,  when  we 
were  lying  in  port  with  two  anchors  down,  and  no  necessity 
for  mere  than  one  man  on  deck  as  a look/out.  This  is 
what  is  called  “hazing”  a crew,  and  “working  their  old 
iron  up.” 

While  lying  at  Santa  Barbara,  we  encountered  another 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  89 

southeaster ; and  like  the  first,  it  came  on  in  the  night ; the 
great  black  clouds  coming  round  from  the  southward,  cover- 
ing the  mountain,  and  hanging  down  over  the  town,  ap- 
pearing almost  to  rest  upon  the  roofs  of  the  houses.  We 
made  sail,  slipped  our  cable,  cleared  the  point,  and  beat 
about  for  four  days,  in  the  offing,  under  close  sail,  with  con- 
tinual rain  and  high  seas  and  winds.  No  wonder,  thought 
we,  they  have  no  rain  in  the  other  seasons,  for  enough 
seemed  to  have  fallen  in  those  four  days  to  last  through  a 
common  summer.  On  the  fifth  day  it  cleared  up,  after  a 
few  hours,  as  is  usual,  of  rain  coming  down  like  a four 
hours'  shower-bath,  and  we  found  ourselves  drifted  nearly 
ten  leagues  from  the  anchorage  ; and  having  light  head- 
winds, we  did  not  return  until  the  sixth  day.  Having  re- 
covered our  anchor,  we  made  preparations  for  getting  under 
weigh  to  go  down  to  leeward.  We  had  hoped  to  go  directly 
to  San  Diego,  and  thus  fall  in  with  the  California  before 
she  sailed  for  Boston  ; but  our  orders  were  to  stop  at  an  in- 
termediate port  called  San  Pedro,  and  as  we  were  to  lie 
there  a week  or  two,  and  the  California  was  to  sail  in  a few 
days,  we  lost  the  opportunity.  Just  before  sailing,  the  cap- 
tain took  on  board  a short,  red-haired,  round-shouldered, 
vulgar-looking  fellow  who  had  lost  one  eye,  and  squinted 
with  the  other,  and  introducing  him  as  Mr.  Russell,  told  us 
that  he  was  an  officer  on  board.  This  was  too  bad.  We 
had  lost  overboard  on  the  passage,  one  of  the  best  of  our 
number,  another  had  been  taken  from  us  and  appointed 
clerk,  and  thus  weakened  and  reduced,  instead  of  shipping 
some  hands  to  make  our  work  easier,  he  had  put  another 
officer  over  us,  to  watch  and  drive  us.  We  had  now  four 
officers,  and  only  six  in  the  forecastle.  This  was  bringing 
her  too  much  down  by  the  stern  for  our  comfort. 

Leaving  Santa  Barbara,  we  coasted  along  down,  the 
country  appearing  level  or  moderately  uneven,  and,  for  the 
most  part,  sandy  and  treeless  ; until,  doubling  a high  sandy 
point,  we  let  go  our  anchor  at  a distance  of  three  and  a 
half  miles  from  shore.  It  was  like  a vessel,  bound  to  Hali- 
fax, coming  to  anchor  on  the  Grand  Banks ; for  the  shore 
being  low,  appeared  to  be  at  a greater  distance  than  it 
actually  was,  and  we  thought  we  might  as  well  have  staid 
at  Santa  Barbara,  and  sent  our  boat  down  for  the  hides. 
The  land  was  of  a clayey  consistency,  and  as  far  as  the  eye 


9° 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


could  reach,  entirely  bare  of  trees  and  even  shrubs  ; a>  d 
there  was  no  sign  of  a town, — not  even  a house  to  be  seo«i. 
What  brought  us  into  such  a place,  we  could  not  conceive. 
No  sooner  had  we  come  to  anchor,  than  the  slip-rope,  awd 
the  other  preparations  for  southeaster,  were  got  ready ; 
and  there  was  reason  enough  for  it,  for  we  lay  exposed  to 
every  wind  that  could  blow,  except  the  northwest,  and 
that  came  over  a flat  country  with  a range  of  more  than  a 
league  of  water.  As  soon  as  everything  was  snu^  on  board, 
the  boat  was  lowered,  and  we  pulled  ashore,  our  new  officer, 
who  had  been  several  times  to  the  port  before,  taking  the 
place  of  steersman.  As  we  drew  in,  we  found  the  tide  low, 
and  the  rocks  and  stones,  covered  with  kelp  and  sea-weed, 
lying  bare  for  the  distance  of  nearly  an  eighth  of  a mile. 
Picking  our  way  barefooted  over  these,  we  came  to  what  is 
called  the  landing-place,  at  high-water  mark.  The  soil  was 
as  it  appeared  at  first,  loose  and  clayey,  and  except  the 
stalks  of  the  mustard  plant,  there  was  no  vegetation.  Just 
in  front  of  the  landing,  and  immediately  over  it,  was  a 
small  hill,  which,  from  its  being  not  more  than  thirty  or 
forty  feet  high,  we  had  not  perceived  from  our  anchorage. 
Over  this  hill  we  saw  three  men  coming  down,  dressed 
partly  like  sailors  and  partly  like  Californians ; one  of 
them  having  on  a pair  of  untanned  leather  trowsers  and  a 
red  baize  shirt.  When  they  came  down  to  us,  we  found 
that  they  were  Englishmen,  and  they  told  us  that  they  had 
belonged  to  a small  Mexican  brig  which  had  been  driven 
ashore  here  in  a southeaster,  and  now  lived  in  a small  house 
just  over  the  hill.  Going  up  this  hill  with  them,  we  saw, 
just  behind  it,  a small,  low  building,  with  one  room,  con- 
taining a fireplace,  cooking-apparatus,  etc.,  and  the  rest  of 
it  unfinished,  and  used  as  a place  to  store  hides  and  goods. 
This,  they  told  us,  was  built  by  some  traders  in  the  Pueblo, 
(a  town  about  thirty  miles  in  the  interior,  to  which  this  was 
the  port,)  and  used  by  them  as  a storehouse,  and  also  as  a 
lodging-place  when  they  came  down  to  trade  with  the  ves- 
sels. These  three  men  were  employed  by  them  to  keep 
the  house  in  order,  and  to  look  out  for  the  things  stored  in 
it.  They  said  that  they  had  been  there  nearly  a year  ; had 
nothing  to  do  the  most  of  the  time,  living  upon  beef,  hard 
bread,  and  frijoles  (a  peculiar  kind  of  bean  very  abundant 
in  California).  The  nearest  house,  they  told  us,  was  a 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


91 

Rancho,  or  cattle-farm,  about  three  miles  off ; and  one  of 
them  went  up,  at  the  request  of  our  officer,  to  order  ahorse 
to  be  sent  down,  with  which  the  agent,  who  was  on  board, 
might  go  up  to  the  Pueblo.  From  one  of  them,  who  was 
an  intelligent  English  sailor,  I learned  a good  deal,  in  a 
few  minutes,  conversation,  about  the  place,  its  trade,  and 
the  news  from  the  southern  ports.  San  Diego,  he  said,  was 
about  eighty  miles  to  the  leeward  of  San  Pedro  ; that  they 
had  heard  from  there,  by  a Spaniard  who  came  up  on  horse- 
back, that  the  California  had  sailed  for  Boston,  and  that 
the  Lagoda,  which  had  been  in  San  Pedro  only  a few  weeks 
before,  was  taking  in  her  cargo  for  Boston.  The  Ayacucho 
was  also  there,  loading  for  Callao,  and  the  little  Loriotte, 
which  had  run  directly  down  from  Monterey,  where  we  left 
her.  San  Diego,  he  told  me,  was  a small,  snug  place,  hav- 
ing very  little  trade,  but  decidedly  the  best  harbor  on  the 
coast,  being  completely  land-locked,  and  the  water  as 
smooth  as  a duck-pond.  This  was  the  depot  for  all  the 
vessels  engaged  in  the  trade  ; each  one  having  a large 
house  there,  built  of  rough  boards  in  which  they  stowed 
their  hides,  as  fast  as  they  collected  them  in  their  trips  up 
and  down  the  coast,  and  when  they  had  procured  a full 
cargo,  spent  a few  weeks  there  taking  it  in,  smoking  ship, 
supplying  wood  and  water,  and  making  other  preparations 
for  the  voyage  home.  The  Lagoda  was  now  about  this 
business.  When  we  should  be  about  it  was  more  than  1 
could  tell ; two  years,  at  least,  I thought  to  myself. 

I also  learned,  to  my  surprise,  that  the  desolate-looking 
place  we  were  in  was  the  best  place  on  the  whole  coast  for 
hides.  It  was  the  only  port  for  a distance  of  eighty  miles, 
and  about  thirty  miles  in  the  interior  was  a fine  plane 
country,  filled  with  herds  of  cattle,  in  the  centre  of  which 
was  the  Pueblo  de  les  Angelos — the  largest  town  in  Cali- 
fornia— and  several  of  the  wealthiest  missions  ; to  all  of 
which  San  Pedro  was  the  seaport. 

Having  made  our  arrangements  for  a horse  to  take  the 
agent  to  the  Pueblo  the  next  day,  we  picked  our  way  again 
over  the  green,  slippery  rocks,  and  pulled  aboard.  By  the 
time  we  reached  the  vessel,  which  was  so  far  off  that  we 
could  hardly  see  her,  in  the  increasing  darkness,  the  boats 
were  hoisted  up,  and  the  crew  at  supper.  Going  down  in- 
to the  forecastle,  eating  our  supper,  and  lighting  our  cigars 


92 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


and  pipes,  we  had,  as  usual,  to  tell  all  we  had  seen  or  heard 
ashore.  We  all  agreed  that  it  was  the  worst  place  we  had 
seen  yet,  especially  for  getting  off  hides,  and  our  lying  off 
at  so  great  a distance  looked  as  though  it  was  bad  for 
southeasters.  After  a few  disputes  as  to  whether  we 
should  have  to  carry  our  goods  up  the  hill,  or  not,  we 
talked  of  San  Diego,  the  probability  of  seeing  the  Lagoda 
before  she  sailed,  etc.,  etc. 

The  next  day  we  pulled  the  agent  ashore,  and  he  went 
up  to  visit  the  Pueblo  and  the  neighboring  missions  ; and 
in  a few  days,  as  the  result  of  his  labors,  large  ox-carts, 
and  droves  of  mules,  loaded  with  hides,  were  seen  coming 
over  the  flat  country.  We  loaded  our  long-boat  with  goods 
of  all  kinds,  light  and  heavy,  and  pulled  ashore.  After 
landing  and  rolling  them  over  the  stones  upon  the  beach, 
we  stopped,  waiting  for  the  carts  to  come  down  the  hill  and 
take  them  ; but  the  captain  soon  settled  the  matter  by 
ordering  us  to  carry  them  all  up  to  the  top,  saying  that 
that  was  “ California  fashion.”  So  what  the  oxen  would 
not  do,  we  were  obliged  to  do.  The  hill  was  low,  but 
steep,  and  the  earth  being  clayey  and  wet  with  the  recent 
rains,  was  but  bad  holding-ground  for  our  feet.  The 
heavy  barrels  and  casks  we  rolled  up  with  some  difficulty, 
getting  behind  and  putting  our  shoulders  to  them  ; now 
and  then  our  feet  slipping,  added  to  the  danger  of  the 
casks  rolling  back  upon  us.  But  the  greatest  trouble  was 
with  the  large  boxes  of  sugar.  These  we  had  to  place 
upon  oars,  and  lifting  them  up,  rest  the  oars  upon  oui 
shoulders,  and  creep  slowly  up  the  hill  with  the  gait  of 
a funeral  procession.  After  an  hour  or  two  of  hard  work, 
we  got  them  all  up,  and  found  the  carts  standing  full  of 
hides,  which  we  had  to  unload,  and  also  to  load  again  with 
our  own  goods  ; the  lazy  Indians,  who  came  down  with 
them,  squatting  down  on  their  hands,  looking  on,  doing 
nothing,  and  when  we  asked  them  to  help  us,  only  shaking 
their  heads,  or  drawling  out  “ no  quiero.” 

Having  loaded  the  carts,  we  started  up  the  Indians, 
who  went  off,  one  on  each  side  of  the  oxen,  with  long 
sticks,  sharpened  at  the  end,  to  punch  them  with.  This 
is  one  T the  means  of  saving  labor  in  California; — two 
Indians  to  two  oxen.  Now,  the  hides  were  to  be  got  down  ; 
and  for  this  purpose,  we  brought  the  boat  round  to  a place 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


93 


where  the  hill  was  steeper,  and  threw  them  down,  letting 
them  slide  over  the  slope.  Many  of  them  lodged,  and  we 
had  to  let  ourselves  down  and  set  them  agoing  again  ; and 
in  this  way  got  covered  with  dust,  and  our  clothes  torn. 
After  we  had  got  them  all  down,  we  were  obliged  to  take 
them  on  our  heads,  and  walk  over  the  stones,  and  through 
the  water,  to  the  boat.  The  water  and  the  stones  togethei 
would  wear  out  a pair  of  shoes  a day,  and  as  shoes  were 
very  scarce  and  very  dear,  we  were  compelled  to  go  bare- 
footed. At  night,  we  went  on  board,  having  had  the 
hardest  and  most  disagreeable  day’s  work  that  we  had  yet 
experienced.  For  several  days,  we  were  employed  in  this 
manner,  until  we  had  landed  forty  or  fifty  tons  of  goods, 
and  brought  on  board  about  two  thousand  hides ; when 
the  trade  began  to  slacken,  and  we  were  kept  at  work,  on 
board,  during  the  latter  part  of  the  week,  either  in  the  hold 
or  upon  the  rigging.  On  Thursday  night,  there  was  a vio- 
lent blow  from  the  northward,  but  as  this  was  off-shore,  we 
had  only  to  let  go  our  other  anchor  and  hold  on.  We 
were  called  up  at  night  to  send  down  the  royal-yards.  It 
was  as  dark  as  a pocket,  and  the  vessel  pitching  at  her 

anchors.  I went  up  to  the  fore,  and  my  friend  S , 

to  the  main,  and  we  soon  had  them  down  “ ship-shape 
and  Bristol  fashion  ; ” for,  as  we  had  now  got  used  to  our 
duty  aloft,  everything  above  the  cross-trees  was  left  to  us, 
who  were  the  youngest  of  the  crew,  except  one  boy. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

For  several  days  the  captain  seemed  very  much  out  of 
humor.  Nothing  went  right,  or  fast  enough  for  him.  He 
quarrelled  with  the  cook,  and  threatened  to  flog  him  for 
throwing  wood  on  deck  ; and  had  a dispute  with  the  mate 
about  reeving  a Spanish  burton  ; the  mate  saying  that  he 
was  right,  and  had  been  taught  how  to  do  it  by  a man  who 
was  a sailor  l This,  the  captain  took  in  dudgeon,  and  they 
were  at  sword’s  points  at  once.  But  his  displeasure  was 
chiefly  turned  against  a large,  heavy-moulded  fellow  from  the 


94 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


the  Middle  states,  who  was  called  Sam.  This  man  hesitat- 
ed in  his  speech,  and  was  rather  slow  in  his  motions,  but 
was  a pretty  good  sailor,  and  always  seemed  to  do  his  best ; 
but  the  captain  took  a dislike  to  him,  thought  he  was  surely, 
and  lazy ; and  “ if  you  once  give  a dog  a bad  name” — as 
the  sailor-phrase  is — “ he  may  as  well  jump  overboard.” 
The  captain  found  fault  with  everything  this  man  did,  and 
hazed  him  for  dropping  a marline  spike  from  the  main-yard, 
where  he  was  at  work.  This,  of  course,  was  an  accident, 
but  it  was  set  down  against  him.  The  captain  was  on  board 
all  day  Friday,  and  everything  went  on  hard  and  disagree- 
ably. “ The  more  you  drive  a man,  the  less  he  will  do.” 
was  as  true  with  us  as  with  any  other  people.  We  worked 
late  Friday  night,  and  were  turned-to  early  Saturday  morn- 
ing. About  ten  o’clock  the  captain  ordered  our  new  offi- 
cer, Russel,  who  by  this  time  had  become  thoroughly  dislik- 
ed by  all  the  crew,  to  get  the  gig  ready  to  take  him  ashore. 
John,  the  Swede,  was  sitting  in  the  boat  alongside,  and 
Russell  and  myself  were  standing  by  the  main  hatchway, 
waiting  for  the  captain,  who  was  down  in  the  hold,  where  the 
crew  were  at  work,  when  we  heard  his  voice  raised  in  violent 
dispute  with  somebody,  whether  it  was  with  the  mate,  or  one 
of  the  crew,  I could  not  tell  ; and  then  came  blows  and  scuf- 
fling. I ran  to  the  side  and  beckoned  to  John,  who  came 
up,  and  we  leaned  down  the  hatchway ; and  though  we 
could  see  no  one,  yet  we  knew  that  the  captain  had  the 
advantage,  for  his  voice  was  loud  and  clear — 

“ You  see  your  condition  ! You  see  your  condition  ! 
Will  you  ever  give  me  any  more  of  your  jaw  No  answer ; 

and  then  came  wrestling  and  heaving,  as  though  the  man 
was  trying  to  turn  him. 

“ You  may  as  well  keep  still,  for  I have  got  you,”  said 
the  captain.  Then  came  the  question,  “ Will  you  ever 
give  me  any  more  of  your  jaw  ? ” 

“ I never  gave  you  any,  sir,”  said  Sam ; for  it  was  his 
voice  that  we  heard,  though  low  and  half  choked. 

“ That’s  not  what  I ask  you.  Will  you  ever  be  impu- 
dent to  me  again  ? ” 

“ I never  have  been,”  said  Sam. 

“ Answer  my  question,  or  I’ll  make  a spread  eagle  of 
you  ! I’ll  flog  you,  by  G — d.” 

“ I’m  no  negro  slave,”  said  Sam, 


TWO  YEA  RS' BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


95 


“ Then  I’ll  make  you  one,”  said  the  captain  ; and  he 
came  to  the  hatchway,  and  sprang  on  deck,  threw  off  his 
coat,  and  rolling  up  his  sleeves,  called  out  to  the  mate — “ 
Seize  that  man  up,  Mr.  A — ! Seize  him  up  ! Make  a 
spread  eagle  of  him ! I’ll  teach  you  all  who  is  master 
aboard  ! ” 

The  crew  and  officers  followed  the  captain  up  the 
hatchway,  and  after  repeated  orders  the  mate  laid  hold  of 
Sam,  who  made  no  resistance,  and  carried  him  to  the  gang- 
way. 

What  are  you  going  to  flog  that  man  for,  sir  ? ” said 
John,  the  Swede,  to  the  captain. 

Upon  hearing  this,  the  captain  turned  upon  him,  but 
knowing  him  to  be  quick  and  resolute,  he  ordered  the 
steward  to  bring  the  irons,  and  calling  upon  Russell  to 
help  him,  went  up  to  John. 

“ Let  me  alone,”  said  John.  “ I’m  willing  to  be  put 
in  irons.  You  need  not  use  any  force  and  putting  out 
his  hands,  the  captain  slipped  the  irons  on,  and  sent  him 
aft  to  the  quarter-deck.  Sam  by  this  time  was  seized  up, 
as  it  is  called,  that  is,  placed  against  the  shrouds,  with  his 
wrists  made  fast  to  the  shrouds,  his  jacket  off,  and  his 
back  exposed.  The  captain  stood  on  the  break  of  the 
deck,  a few  feet  from  him,  and  a little  raised,  so  as  to 
to  have  a good  swing  at  him,  and  held  in  his  hand  the 
bright  of  a thick,  strong  rope.  The  officers  stood  round, 
and  the  crew  grouped  together  in  the  waist.  All  these 
preparations  made  me  feel  sick  and  almost  faint,  angry 
and  excited  as  I was.  A man — a human  being,  made  in 
God’s  likeness — fastened  up  and  flogged  like  a beast  ! 
A man,  too,  whom  I had  lived  with  and  eaten  with  for 
months,  and  knew  almost  as  well  as  a brother.  The  first 
and  almost  uncontrollable  impulse  was  resistance.  But 
what  was  to  be  done  ? The  time  for  it  had  gone  by.  The 
two  best  men  were  fast,  and  there  were  only  two  beside 
myself,  and  a small  boy  of  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age. 
And  then  there  were  (beside  the  captain)  three  officers, 
steward,  agent,  and  clerk.  But  beside  the  numbers,  what 
is  there  for  sailors  to  do  ? If  they  resist,  it  is  mutiny  ; and 
if  they  succeed,  and  take  the  vessel,  it  is  piracy.  If  they 
ever  yield  again,  their  punishment  must  come  ; and  if  they 
do  not  yield,  they  are  pirates  for  life.  If  a sailor  resist 


96 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


his  commander,  he  resist  the  law,  and  piracy  or  submis- 
sion, are  his  only  alternatives.  Bad  as  it  was,  it  must  be 
borne.  It  is  what  a sailor  ships  for.  Swinging  the  rope 
over  his  head,  and  bending  his  body  so  as  to  give  it  full 
force,  the  captain  brought  it  down  upon  the  poor  fellow’s 
back.  Once,  twice, — six  times.  “ Will  you  ever  give  me 
any  more  of  your  jaw?”  The  man  writhed  with  pain, 
but  said  not  a word.  Three  times  more.  This  was  too 
much,  and  he  muttered  something  which  I could  not  hear; 
this  brought  as  many  more  as  the  man  could  stand  ; when 
captain  ordered  him  to  be  cut  down,  and  to  go  forward. 

“ Now  for  you,”  said  the  captain,  making  up  to  John 
and  taking  his  irons  off.  As  soon  as  he  was  loose,  he 
ran  forward  to  the  forecastle.  “ Bring  that  man  aft,” 
shouted  the  captain.  The  second  mate,  who  had  been  a 
shipmate  of  John’s  stood  still  in  the  waist,  and  the  mate 
walked  slowly  forward  ; but  our  third  officer,  anxious  to 
show  his  zeal  sprang  forward  over  the  windlass,  and  laid 
hold  of  John  ; but  he  soon  threw  him  from  him.  At  this 
moment  I would  have  given  worlds  for  the  power  to  help 
the  poor  fellow  ; but  it  was  all  in  vain.  The  captain  stood 
on  the  quarter-deck,  bare-headed,  his  eyes  flashing  with 
rage,  and  his  face  as  red  as  blood,  swinging  the  rope,  and 
calling  out  to  his  officers,  “ Drag  him  aft! — Lay  hold  of 
him  ! I’ll  sweeten  him  ! ” etc.,  etc.  The  mate  now  went 
forward  and  told  John  quietly  to  go  aft;  and  he,  seeing 
resistance  in  vain,  threw  the  blackguard  third  mate  from 
him  ; said  he  would  go  aft  of  himself ; that  they  should 
not  drag  him  ; and  went  up  to  the  gangway  and  held  out 
his  hands ; but  as  soon  as  the  captain  began  to  make  him 
fast,  the  indignity  was  too  much,  and  he  began  to  resist ; 
but  the  mate  and  Russell  holding  him,  he  was  soort  seized 
up.  When  he  was  made  fast,  he  turned  to  the  captain, 
who  stood  turning  up  his  sleeves  and  getting  ready  for  the 
blow,  and  asked  him  what  he  was  to  be  flogged  for, 
“ Have  I ever  refused  my  duty,  sir  ? Have  you  ever 
known  me  to  hang  back,  or  to  bo  insolent,  or  not  to  know 
my  work  ? ” 

“ No,”  said  the  captain,  “ it  is  not  that  I flog  you  for  ; 

I flog  you  for  your  interference — for  asking  questions.” 

“Can’t  a man  ask  a question  here  without  being 
flogged  ? ” 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


97 


“ No,’’  shouted  the  captain  ; “ nobody  shall  open  his 
mouth  aboard  this  vessel,  but  myself ; ” and  began  laying 
the  blows  upon  his  back,  swinging  half  round  between 
each  blow,  to  give  it  full  effect.  As  he  went  on  his  passion 
increased,  and  he  danced  about  the  deck  calling  out  as  he 
swung  the  rope, — “ If  you  want  to  know  what  I flog  you 
for,  I’ll  tell  you.  It’s  because  I like  to  do  it ! — because  I 
like  to  do  it ! — It  suits  me  ! That’s  what  I do  it  for  ! ” 

The  man  writhed  under  the  pain,  until  he  could  endure 
it  no  longer,  when  he  called  out,  with  an  exclamation  more 
common  among  foreigners  than  with  us — “ Oh,  Jesus 
Christ,  oh,  Jesus  Christ!  ” 

“ Don’t  call  on  Jesus  Christ,”  shouted  the  captain  ; 

“ he  cad t help  you.  Call  on  Captain  T He’s  the  man! 

He  can  help  you  ! Jesus  Christ  can’t  help  you  now  ! ” 

At  these  words,  which  I never  shall  forget,  my  blood 
ran  cold.  I could  look  on  no  longer.  Disgusted,  sick, 
and  horror-struck,  I turned  away  and  leaned  over  the  rail, 
and  looked  down  into  the  water.  A few  rapid  thoughts 
of  my  own  situation,  and  of  the  prospect  of  future  revenge, 
crossed  my  mind ; but  the  falling  of  the  blows  and  the 
cries  of  the  man  called  me  back  at  once.  At  length  they 
ceased,  and  turning  round,  I found  that  the  mate,  at  a 
signal  from  the  captain,  h d cut  him  down.  Almost 
doubled  up  with  pain,  the  man  walked  slowly  forward,  and 
went  down  into  the  forecastle.  Every  one  else  stood  still 
at  his  post,  while  the  captain,  swelling  with  rage  and  with  the 
importance  of  his  achievement,  walked  the  quarter-deck, 
and  at  each  turn,  as  he  cam^  forward,  calling  out  to  us, — 
“ You  see  your  condition  ! You  see  where  I’ve  got  you 
all,  and  you  know  what  to  expect ! ” — “ You’ve  been  mis- 
taken in  me — you  didn’t  know  what  I was  ! Now  you 
know  what  I am  ! ” — “ I’ll  make  you  toe  the  mark,  every 
soul  of  you,  or  I’ll  flog  you  all,  fore  and  aft,  from  the  boy, 
up  ! ” — “ You  ’ve  got  a driver  over  you  ! Yes,  a slave- 
driver  a negro-driver ! I’ll  see  who’ll  tell  me  he  isn’t  a 
negro  slave  ! ” With  this  and  the  like  matter,  equally  cal- 
culated to  quiet  us,  and  to  allay  any  apprehensions  of  future 
trouble,  he  entertained  us  for  about  ten  minutes,  when  he 
went  below.  Soon  after,  John  came  aft,  with  his  bare 
back  covered  with  stripes  and  wales  in  every  direction, 
and  dreadfully  swollen,  and  asked  the  steward  to  ask  the 


98  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

captain  to  let  him  have  some  salve,  or  balsam,  to  put  upon 
it.  " No,”  said  the  captain,  who  heard  him  from  below ; 
“ tell  him  to  put  his  shirt  on  ; that  ’s  the  best  thing  for 
him  ; and  pull  me  ashore  in  the  boat.  Nobody  is  going 
to  lay-up  on  board  this  vessel.”  He  then  called  to  Mr. 
Russell  to  take  those  two  men  and  two  others  in  the  boat, 
and  pull  him  ashore.  I went  for  one.  The  two  men  could 
hardly  bend  their  backs,  and  the  captain  called  to  them 
to  “ give  way,”  “ give  way  ! ” but  finding  they  did  their 
best,  he  let  them  alone.  The  agent  was  in  the  stern 
sheets,  but  during  the  whole  pull — a league  or  more — not 
a word  was  spoken.  We  landed ; the  captain,  agent,  and 
officer  went  up  to  the  house,  and  left  us  with  the  boat.  I, 
and  the  man  with  me,  staid  near  the  boat,  while  John  and 
Sam  walked  slowly  away,  and  sat  down  on  the  rocks. 
They  talked  some  time  together,  but  at  length  separated, 
each  sitting  alone.  I had  some  fears  of  John.  He  was  a 
foreigner,  and  violently  tempered,  and  under  suffering; 
and  he  had  his  knife  with  him,  and  the  captain  was  to  come 
down  alone  to  the  boat.  But  nothing  happened  ; and  we 
went  quietly  on  board.  The  captain  was  probably  armed, 
and  if  either  of  them  had  lifted  a hand  against  him,  they 
would  have  had  nothing  before  them  but  flight,  and  starva- 
tion in  the  woods  of  California,  or  capture  by  the  soldiers 
and  Indian  bloodhounds,  whom  the  offer  of  twenty  dollars 
would  have  set  upon  them. 

After  the  day’s  work  was  done,  we  went  down  into  the 
forecastle,  and  ate  our  plain  supper ; but  not  a word  was 
spoken.  It  was  Saturday  night ; but  there  was  no  song — 
no  “ sweethearts  and  wives.’/  A gloom  was  over  every- 
thing. The  two  men  lay  in  their  berths,  groaning  with 
pain,  and  we  all  turned  in,  but,  ior  myself,  not  to  sleep.  A 
sound  coming  now  and  then  from  the  berths  of  the  two 
men  showed  that  they  were  awake,  as  awake  they  must 
have  been,  for  they  could  hardly  lie  in  one  posture  a mo- 
ment ; the  dim,  swinging  lamp  of  the  forecastle  shed  its 
light  over  the  dark  hole  in  which  we  lived ; and  many  and 
various  reflections  and  purposes  coursed  through  my  mind. 
I thought  of  our  situation,  living  under  a tyranny  ; of  the 
character  of  the  country  we  were  in  ; of  the  length  of  the 
voyage,  and  of  the  uncertainty  attending  our  return  to 
America  ; and  then,  if  we  should  return,  of  the  prospect 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


99 


of  obtaining  justice  and  satisfaction  for  these  poor  men  ; 
and  vowed  that  if  God  should  ever  give  me  the  means,  I 
would  do  something  to  redress  the  grievances  and  relieve 
the  sufferings  of  that  poor  class  of  beings,  of  whom  I then 
was  one. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday.  We  worked  as  usual, 
washing  decks,  etc.,  until  breakfast-time.  After  breakfast, 
we  pulled  the  captain  ashore,  and  finding  some  hides 
there  which  had  been  brought  down  the  night  before,  he 
ordered  me  to  stay  ashore  and  watch  them,  saying  that  the 
boat  would  come  again  before  night.  They  left  me,  and  I 
spent  a quiet  day  on  the  hill,  eating  dinner  with  the  three 
men  at  the  little  house.  Unfortunately,  they  had  no 
books,  and  after  talking  with  them  and  walking  about,  I 
began  to  grow  tired  of  doing  nothing.  The  little  brig,  the 
home  of  so  much  hardship  and  suffering,  lay  in  the  offing, 
almost  as  far  as  one  could  see  ; and  the  only  other  thing 
which  broke  the  surface  of  the  great  bay  was  a small, 
desolate-looking  island,  steep  and  conical,  of  a clayey 
soil,  and  without  the  sign  of  vegetable  life  upon  it ; yet 
which  had  a peculiar  and  melancholy  interest  to  me,  for 
on  the  top  of  it  were  buried  the  remains  of  an  Englishman, 
the  commander  of  a small  merchant  brig,  who  died  while 
lying  in  this  port.  It  was  always  a solemn  and  interesting 
spot  to  me.  There  it  stood,  desolate,  and  in  the  midst  of 
desolation  ; and  there  were  the  remains  of  one  who  died 
and  was  buried  alone  and  friendless.  Had  it  been  a com- 
mon burying-place,  it  would  have  been  nothing.  The 
single  body  corresponded  well  with  the  solitary  character 
of  everything  around.  It  was  the  only  thing  in  California 
from  which  I could  ever  extract  anything  like  poetry. 
Then,  too,  the  man  died  far  from  home  ; without  a friend 
near  him  ; by  poison,  it  was  suspected,  and  no  one  to  in- 
quire into  it ; and  without  proper  funeral  rites  ; the  mate, 
(as  I was  told,)  glad  to  have  him  out  of  the  way,  hurrying 
him  up  the  hill  and  into  the  ground,  without  a word  or  a 
prayer. 

I looked  anxiously  for  a boat,  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  afternoon,  but  none  came ; until  toward  sundown, 
when  I saw  a speck  on  the  water,  and  as  it  drew  near,  I 
found  it  was  the  gig,  with  the  captain.  The  hides,  then, 
were  not  to  go  off.  The  captain  came  up  the  hill,  with 


IOO 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


a man,  bringing  my  monkey-jacket  and  a blanket.  He 
looked  pretty  black,  but  inquired  whether  I had  enough 
to  eat ; told  me  to  make  a house  out  of  the  hides,  and 
keep  myself  warm,  as  I should  have  to  sleep  there  among 
them,  and  to  keep  good  watch  over  them.  I got  a mo- 
ment to  speak  to  the  man  who  brought  my  jacket. 

“ How  do  things  go  aboard  ? ” said  I. 

“ Bad  enough,- ” said  he  ; “ hard  work  and  not  a kind 
word  spoken.” 

“ What,”  said  I,  “ have  you  been  at  work  all  day?  ” 

“ Yes  ! no  more  Sunday  for  us.  Everything  has  been 
moved  in  the  hold,  from  stem  to  stern,  and  from  the 
water-ways  to  the  keelson.” 

I went  up  to  the  house  to  supper.  We  had  frijoles, 
(the  perpetual  food  of  the  Californians,  but  which,  when 
well  cooked,  are  the  best  bean  in  the  world, )coffee  made 
of  burnt  wheat,  and  hard  bread.  After  our  meal,  the 
three  men  sat  down  by  the  light  of  a tallow  candle,  with  a 
pack  of  greasy  Spanish  cards,  to  the  favorite  game  of 
“ treinta  uno,”  a sort  of  Spanish  “ everlasting.”  I left 
them  and  went  out  to  take  up  my  bivouac  among  the 
hides.  It  was  now  dark  ; the  vessel  was  hidden  from 
sight,  and  except  the  three  men  in  the  house,  there  was 
not  a living  soul  within  a league.  The  coati  (a  wild 
animal  of  a nature  and  appearance  between  that  of  the 
fox  and  the  wolf)  set  up  their  sharp,  quick  bark  ; and  two 
owls,  at  the  end  of  two  distant  points  running  out  into  the 
bay,  on  different  sides  of  the  hill  where  I lay,  kept  up 
their  alternate,  dismal  notes.  I had  heard  the  sound  be- 
fore at  night,  but  did  not  know  what  it  was,  until  one  of 
the  men,  who  came  down  to  look  at  my  quarters,  told  me 
it  was  the  owl.  Mellowed  by  the  distance,  and  heard 
alone,  at  night,  I thought  it  was  the  most  melancholy, 
boding  sound  I had  ever  heard.  Through  nearly  all  the 
night  they  kept  it  up,  answering  one  another  slowly,  at 
regular  intervals.  This  was  relieved  by  the  noisy  coati, 
some  of  which  came  quite  near  to  my  quarters,  and  were 
not  very  pleasant  neighbors.  The  next  morning,  before 
sunrise,  the  long-boat  came  ashore,  and  the  hides  were 
taken  off. 

We  lay  at  San  Pedro  about  a week,  engaged  in  taking 
off  hides  and  in  other  labors,  which  had  now  become  our 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


IOI 


regular  duties.  I spent  one  more  day  on  the  hill,  watch- 
ing a quantity  of  hides  and  goods,  and  this  time  suc- 
ceeded in  finding  a part  of  a volume  of  Scott's  Pirate,  in  a 
corner  of  the  house  ; but  it  failed  me  at  a most  interesting 
moment,  and  I betook  myself  to  my  acquaintances  on 
shore,  and  from  them  learned  a good  deal  about  the  cus- 
toms of  the  country,  the  harbors,  etc.  This,  they  told 
me,  was  a worse  harbor  than  Santa  Barbara,  for  south- 
easter ; the  bearing  of  the  headland  being  a point  and  a 
half  more  to  windward,  and  it  being  so  shallow  that  the 
sea  broke  often  as  far  out  as  where  we  lay  at  anchor. 
The  gale  from  which  we  slipped  at  Santa  Barbara,  had 
been  so  bad  a one  here,  that  the  whole  bay,  for  a league 
out,  was  filled  with  the  foam  of  the  breakers,  and  seas 
actually  broke  over  the  Dead  Man’s  island.  The  Lagoda 
was  lying  there,  and  slipped  at  the  first  alarm,  and  in  such 
haste  that  she  was  obliged  to  leave  her  launch  behind  her 
at  anchor.  The  little  boat  rode  it  out  for  several  hours, 
pitching  at  her  anchor,  and  standing  with  her  stern  up  al- 
most perpendicularly.  The  men  told  me  that  they  watched 
her  till  toward  night,  when  she  snapped  her  cable  and 
drove  up  over  the  breakers,  high  and  dry  upon  the  beach. 

On  board  the  Pilgrim,  everything  went  on  regularly, 
each  one  trying  to  get  along  as  smoothly  as  possible  ; but 
the  comfort  of  the  voyage  was  evidently  at  an  end.  “ That 
is  a long  lane  which  has  no  turning  1 “ Every  dog  must 
have  his  day,  and  mine  will  come  by-and-by  ” — and  the 
like  proverbs,  were  occasionally  quoted ; but  no  one  spoke 
of  any  probable  end  to  the  voyage,  or  of  Boston,  or  any- 
thing of  the  kind ; or  if  he  did,  it  was  only  to  draw  out  the 
perpetual,  surly  reply  from  his  shipmate — “ Boston,  is  it  ? 
You  may  thank  your  stars  if  you  ever  see  that  place.  You 
had  better  have  your  back  sheathed,  and  your  head  cop- 
pered, and  your  feet  shod,  and  make  out  your  log  for  Cali- 
fornia for  life  ! ” or  else  something  of  this  kind — “ Before 
you  get  to  Boston  the  hides  will  wear  all  the  hair  off  your 
head,  and  you'll  take  up  all  your  wages  in  clothes,  and 
won’t  have  enough  left  to  buy  a wig  with ! ” 

The  flogging  was  seldom  if  ever  alluded  to  by  us,  in 
the  forecastle.  If  any  one  was  inclined  to  talk  about  it, 
the  others,  with  a delicacy  which  I hardly  expected  to  find 
among  them,  always  stopped  him,  or  turned  the  subject. 


IC2 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


But  the  behavior  of  the  two  men  who  were  flogged  toward 
one  another  showed  a delicacy  and  a sense  of  honor,  which 
would  have  been  worthy  of  admiration  in  the  highest  walks 
of  life.  Sam  knew  that  the  other  had  suffered  solely  on 
his  account,  and  in  all  his  complaints,  he  said  that  if  he 
alone  had  been  flogged,  it  would  have  been  nothing ; but 
that  he  never  could  see  that  man  without  thinking  what 
had  been  the  means  of  bringing  that  disgrace  upon  him  ; 
and  John  never,  by  word  or  deed,  let  anything  escape 
him  to  remind  the  other  that  it  was  by  interfering  to  save 
his  shipmate,  that  he  had  suffered. 

Having  got  all  our  spare  room  filled  with  hides,  we 
hove  up  our  anchor  and  made  sail  for  San  Diego.  In 
no  operation  can  the  disposition  of  a crew  be  discovered 
better  than  in  getting  under  weigh.  Where  things  are 
done  “ with  a will,”  every  one  is  like  a cat  aloft : sails  are 
loosed  in  an  instant ; each  one  lays  out  his  strength  on* 
his  handspike,  and  the  windlass  goes  briskly  round  with 
the  loud  cry  of  “ Yo  heave  ho  ! Heave  and  pawl ! Heave 
hearty  ho  ! 99  But  with  us,  at  this  time,  it  was  all  dragging 
work.  No  one  went  aloft  beyond  his  ordinary  gait,  and 
the  chain  came  slowly  in  over  the  windlass.  The  mate, 
between  the  knight-heads  exhausted  all  his  official  rhetoric 
in  calls  of  “ Heave  with  a will ! ” — “ Heave  hearty,  men  ! 
— heave  hearty  ! ” — “ Heave  and  raise  the  dead  ! ” — 
“ Heave,  and  away ! ” etc.  etc. ; but  it  would  not  do. 
Nobody  broke  his  back  or  his  handspike  by  his  efforts. 
And  when  the  cat-tackle-fall  was  strung  along,  and  all 
hands — cook,  steward,  and  all — laid  hold,  to  cat  the 
anchor,  instead  of  the  lively  song  of  “ Cheerily,  men  ! ” in 
which  all  hands  join  in  the  chorus,  we  pulled  a long,  heavy, 
silent  pull,  and — as  sailors  say  a song  is  as  good  as  ten 
men — the  anchor  came  to  the  cathead  pretty  slowly. 
“ Give  us  ‘ Cheerily  ! 9 99  said  the  mate  ; but  there  was  no 
“ cheerily  ” for  us,  and  we  did  without  it.  The  captain 
walked  the  quarter-deck,  and  said  not  a word.  He  must 
have  seen  the  change,  but  there  was  nothing  which  he 
could  notice  officially. 

We  sailed  leisurely  down  the  coast  before  a light,  fair 
wind,  keeping  the  land  well  aboard,  and  saw  two  other 
missions,  looking  like  blocks  of  white  plaster,  shining  in 
the  distance  ; one  of  which,  situated  on  the  top  of  a high 


TWO  YE4RS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


103 


hill,  was  San  Juan  Campestrano,  under  which  vessels 
sometimes  come  to  anchor,  in  the  summer  season,  and 
take  off  hides.  The  most  distant  one  was  St,.  Louis  Rey, 
which  the  third  mate  said  was  only  fifteen  miles  from  San 
Diego.  At  sunset  on  the  second  day,  we  had  a large  and 
well  wooded  headland  directly  before  us,  behind  which  lay 
the  little  harbor  of  San  Diego.  We  were  becalmed  off  this 
point  all  night,  but  the  next  morning,  which  was  Saturday, 
the  14th  of  March,  having  a good  breeze,  we  stood  round 
the  point,  and  hauling  our  wind,  brought  the  little  harbor, 
which  is  rather  the  outlet  of  a small  river,  right  before  us. 
Every  one  was  anxious  to  get  a view  of  the  new  place.  A 
chain  of  high  hills,  beginning  at  the  point,  (which  was  on 
our  larboard  hand,  coming  in),  protected  the  harbor  on  the 
north  and  west,  and  ran  off  into  the  interior,  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach.  On  the  other  sides,  the  land  was  low, 
and  green,  but  without  trees.  The  entrance  is  so  narrow 
as  to  admit  but  one  vessel  at  a time,  the  current  swift,  and 
the  channel  runs  so  near  to  a low  stony  point  that  the 
ship’s  sides  appeared  almost  to  touch  it.  There  was  no 
town  in  sight,  but  on  the  smooth  sand  beach,  abreast,  and 
within  a cable’s  length  of  which  three  vessels  lay  moored, 
were  four  large  houses,  built  of  rough  boards,  and  looking 
like  the  great  barns  in  which  ice  is  stored  on  the  borders 
of  the  large  ponds  near  Boston ; with  piles  of  hides 
standing  round  them,  and  men  in  red  shirts  and  large 
straw  hats  walking  in  and  out  of  the  doors.  These  were 
the  hide-houses.  Of  the  vessels  : one,  a short,  clumsy, 
little  hermaphrodite  brig,  we  recognized  as  our  old 
acquaintance  the  Loriotte  ; another,  with  sharp  bows  and 
raking  masts,  newly  painted  and  tarred,  and  glittering  in 
the  morning’s  sun,  with  the  blood-red  banner  and  cross  of 
St.  George  at  her  peak,  was  the  handsome  Ayacucho. 
The  third  was  a large  ship,  with  top-gallant  masts  housed, 
and  sails  unbent,  and  looking  as  rusty  and  worn  as  two 
years’  “ hide  droghing  ” could*  make  her.  This  was  the 
Lagoda.  As  we  drew  near,  carried  rapidly  along  by  the 
current,  we  overhauled  our  chain,  and  clewed  up  the  top- 
sails. “ Let  go  the  anchor  ! ” said  the  captain  ; but  either 
there  was  not  chain  enough  forward  of  the  windlass,  or 
the  anchor  went  down  foul,  or  we  had  too  much  headway 
on,  for  it  did  not  bring  us  up.  “ Pay  out  chain  1 ” shouted 


104 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


the  captain  ; and  we  gave  it  to  her ; but  it  would  not  do. 
Before  the  other  anchor  could  be  let  go,  we  drifted  down, 
broadside  on,  and  went  smash  into  the  Lagoda.  Hef 
crew  were  at  breakfast  in  the  forecastle,  and  the  cook, 
seeing  us  coming,  rushed  out  of  his  galley,  and  called  up 
the  officers  and  men, 

Fortunately,  no  great  harm  was  done.  Her  jib-boom 
ran  between  our  fore  and  main  masts,  carrying  away  some 
of  our  rigging,  and  breaking  down  the  rail.  She  lost  her 
martingale.  This  brought  us  up,  and  as  they  paid  out 
chain,  we  swung  clear  of  them,  and  let  go  the  other 
anchor ; but  this  had  as  bad  luck  as  the  first,  for,  before 
any  one  perceived  it,  we  were  drifting  on  to  the  Loriotte. 
The  captain  now  gave  out  his  orders  rapidly  and  fiercely, 
sheeting  home  the  topsails,  and  backing  and  filling  the 
sails,  in  hope  of  starting  or  clearing  the  anchors ; but  it 
was  all  in  vain,  and  he  sat  down  on  the  rail,  taking  it  very 
leisurely,  and  calling  out  to  Captain  Nye,  that  he  was 
coming  to  pay  him  a visit.  We  drifted  fairly  into  the 
Loriotte,  her  larboard  bow  into  our  starboard  quarter, 
carrying  away  a part  of  our  starboard  quarter  railing,  and 
breaking  off  her  larboard  bumpkin,  and  one  or  two 
stanchions  above  the  deck.  We  saw  our  handsome  sailor, 
Jackson,  on  the  forecastle,  with  the  Sandwich  Islanders, 
working  away  to  get  us  clear.  After  paying  out  chain,  we 
swung  clear,  but  our  anchors  were  no  doubt  afoul  of  hers. 
We  manned  the  windlass,  and  hove  and  hove  away,  but  to 
no  purpose.  Sometimes  we  got  a little  upon  the  cable, 
but  a good  surge  would  take  it  all  back  again.  We  now 
began  to  drift  down  toward  the  Ayacucho,  when  her  boat 
put  off  and  brought  her  commander,  Captain  Wilson,  on 
board.  He  wTas  a short,  active,  well-built  man,  between 
fifty  and  sixty  years  of  age ; being  nearly  thirty  years 
older  than  our  captain,  and  a thorough  seaman,  he  did  not 
hesitate  to  give  his  advice,  and  from  giving  advice,  he 
gradually  came  to  taking  the  command  ; ordering  us  when 
to  heave  and  when  to  paul,  and  backing  and  filling  the  top- 
sails, setting  and  taking  in  jib  and  trysail,  whenever  he 
thought  best.  Our  captain  gave  a few  orders,  but  as 
Wilson  generally  countermanded  them,  saying,  in  an  easy, 

fatherly  kind  of  way,  “ Oh  no  ! Captain  T , you  don't 

want  the  jib  on  her,"  or,  “ it  isn't  time  yet  to  heave  ! " he 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TIIE  MAST. 


105 

soon  gave  it  up.  We  had  no  objections  to  this  state  of 
things,  for  Wilson  was  a kind  old  man,  and  had  an  encour- 
aging and  pleasant  way  of  speaking  to  us,  which  made 
everything  go  easily.  After  two  or  three  hours  of  con- 
stant labor  at  the  windlass,  heaving  and  “Yo  ho  ! ”-ing 
with  all  our  might,  we  brought  up  an  anchor,  with  the 
Loriotte’s  small  bower  fast  to  it.  Having  cleared  this  and 
let  it  go,  and  cleared  our  hawse,  we  soon  got  our  other  an- 
chor, which  had  dragged  half  over  the  harbor.  “ Now,” 
said  Wilson,  “Til  find  you  a good  berth;”  and  setting 
both  the  topsails,  he  carried  us  down,  and  brought  us  to 
anchor  in  handsome  style,  directly  abreast  of  the  hide- 
house  which  we  were  to  use.  Having  done  this,  he  took 
his  leave,  while  we  furled  the  sails,  and  got  our  breakfast, 
which  was  welcome  to  us,  for  we  had  worked  hard,  and  it 
• was  nearly  twelve  o’clock.  After  breakfast,  and  until 
night,  we  were  employed  in  getting  out  the  boats  and 
mooring  ship. 

After  supper,  two  of  us  took  the  captain  on  board  the 
Lagoda.  As  he  came  alongside,  he  gave  his  name,  and 
the  mate,  in  the  gangway,  called  out  to  the  captain  down 

the  companion-way — “ Captain  T has  come  aboard, 

sir  ! ” “ Has  he  brought  his  brig  with  him  ? ” said  the 

rough  old  fellow,  in  a tone  which  made  itself  heard  fore 
and  aft.  This  mortified  our  captain  a little,  and  it  became 
a standing  joke  among  us  for  the  rest  of  the  voyage.  The 
captain  went  down  into  the  cabin,  and  we  walked  forward 
and  put  our  heads  down  the  forecastle,  where  we  found 
the  men  at  supper.  “ Come  down,  shipmates ! come 
down  ! ” said  they,  as  soon  as  they  saw  us  ; and  we  went 
down,  and  found  a large,  high  forecastle,  well  lighted; 
and  a crew  of  twelve  or  fourteen  men,  eating  out  of  their 
kids  and  pans,  and  drinking  their  tea,  and  talking  and 
laughing,  all  as  independent  and  easy  as  so  many  “ wood- 
sawyer’s  clerks.”  This  looked  like  comfort  and  enjoy- 
ment, compared  with  the  dark  little  forecastle,  and  scanty, 
discontented  crew  of  the  brig.  It  was  Saturday  night ; 
they  had  got  through  their  work  for  the  week  ; and  being 
snugly  moored,  had  nothing  to  do  until  Monday,  again. 
After  two  years’  hard  service,  they  had  seen  the  worst, 
and  all,  of  California  ; — had  got  their  cargo  nearly  stowed, 
and  expected  to  sail  in  a week  or  two,  for  Boston.  We 


106  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

spent  an  hour  or  more  with  them,  talking  over  California 
matters,  until  the  word  was  passed — “ Pilgrims,  away ! ” 
and  we  went  back  with  our  captain.  They  were  a hardy, 
but  intelligent  crew ; a little  roughened,  and  their  clothes 
patched  and  old,  from  California  wear ; all  able  seamen, 
and  between  the  ages  of  twenty  and  thirty-five.  They  in- 
quired about  our  vessel,  the  usage,  etc.,  and  were  not  a 
little  surprised  at  the  story  of  the  flogging.  They  said 
there  were  often  difficulties  in  vessels  on  the  coast, 
and  sometimes  knock-downs  and  fightings,  but  they  had 
never  heard  before  of  a regular  seizing-up  and  flogging. 
“ Spread  eagles  ” were  a new  kind  of  biid  in  California. 

Sunday,  they  said,  was  always  given  in  San  Diego,  both 
at  the  hide-houses  and  on  board  the  vessels,  a large  num- 
ber usually  going  up  to  the  town,  on  liberty.  We  learned 
a good  deal  from  them  about  curing  and  stowing  of  hides, 
etc.,  and  they  were  anxious  to  have  the  latest  news  (seven 
months  old)  from  Boston.  One  of  their  first  inquiries  was 
for  Father  Taylor,  the  seamen’s  preacher  in  Boston. 
Then  followed  the  usual  strain  of  conversation,  inquiries, 
stories,  and  jokes,  which  one  must  always  hear  in  a ship’s 
forecastle,  but  which  are  perhaps,  after  all,  no  worse,  nor, 
indeed,  more  gross,  than  that  of  many  well-dressed  gentle- 
men at  their  clubs. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  next  day  being  Sunday,  after  washing  and  clearing 
the  decks,  and  getting  breakfast,  the  mate  came  forward 
with  leave  for  one  watch  to  go  ashore,  on  liberty.  We  drew 
lots,  and  it  fell  to  the  larboard,  which  I was  in.  Instantly 
all  was  preparation.  Buckets  of  fresh  water  (which  we 
were  allowed  in  port),  and  soap,  were  put  in  use  ; go- 
ashore  jackets  and  trousers  got  out  and  brushed ; pumps, 
neckerchiefs,  and  hats  overhauled ; one  lending  to  an- 
other ; so  that  among  the  whole,  each  one  got  a good  fit- 
out.  A boat  was  called  to  pull  the  “ liberty-men  ” ashore, 
and  we  sat  down  in  the  stern  sheets,  “as  big  as  pay- 
passengers,”  and  jumping  ashore,  set  out  on  our  walk  for 
the  town,  which  was  nearly  three  miles  off. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


107 


It  is  a pity  that  some  other  arrangement  is  not  made 
in  merchant  vessels,  with  regard  to  the  liberty-day.  When 
in  port,  the  crews  are  kept  at  work  all  the  week,  and  the 
only  day  they  are  allowed  for  rest  or  pleasure  is  the 
Sabbath  ; and  unless  they  go  ashore  on  that  day,  they 
cannot  go  at  all.  I have  heard  of  a religious  captain  who 
gave  his  crew  liberty  on  Saturdays,  after  twelve  o’clock. 
This  would  be  a good  plan,  if  shipmasters  would  bring 
themselves  to  give  their  crews  so  much  time.  For  young 
sailors  especially,  many  of  whom  have  been  brought  up  with 
a regard  for  the  sacredness  of  the  day,  this  strong  tempta- 
tion to  break  it,  is  exceedingly  injurious.  As  it  is,  it  can 
hardly  be  expected  that  a crew,  on  a long  and  hard  voy- 
age, will  refuse  a few  hours  of  freedom  from  toil  and  the 
restraints  of  a vessel,  and  an  opportunity  to  tread  the 
ground  and  see  the  sights  of  society  and  humanity, 
because  it  is  on  a Sunday.  It  is  too  much  like  escaping 
from  prison,  or  being  drawn  out  of  a pit,  on  the  Sabbath 
day. 

I shall  never  forget  the  delightful  sensation  of  being 
in  the  open  air,  with  the  birds  singing  around  me,  and  es- 
caped from  the  confinement,  labor,  and  strict  rule  of  a 
vessel — of  being  once  more  in  my  life,  though  only  for  a 
day,  my  own  master.  A sailor’s  liberty  is  but  for  a 
day ; yet  while  it  lasts  it  is  perfect.  He  is  under  no  one’s 
eye,  and  can  do  whatever,  and  go  wherever,  he  pleases. 
This  day,  for  the  first  time,  I may  truly  say,  in  my  whole 
life,  I felt  the  meaning  of  a term  which  I had  often  heard 

— the  sweets  of  liberty.  My  friend  S was  with  me, 

and  turning  our  backs  upon  the  vessels,  we  walked  slowly 
along,  talking  of  the  pleasure  of  being  our  own  masters, 
of  the  times  past,  when  we  were  free,  and  in  the  midst  of 
friends  in  America,  and  of  the  prospect  of  our  return ; and 
planning  where  we  would  go,  and  what  we  would  do,  when 
we  reached  home.  It  was  wonderful  how  t be  prospect 
brightened,  and  how  short  and  tolerable  the  voyage  ap- 
peared, when  viewed  in  this  new  light.  Things  looked  dif- 
ferently from  what  they  did  when  we  talked  them  over  in 
the  little  dark  forecastle,  the  night  after  the  flogging  of 
San  Pedro.  It  is  not  the  least  of  the  advantages  of  allow- 
ing sailors  occasionally  a day  of  liberty,  that  it  gives  them 
a spring,  and  makes  them  feel  cheerful  and  independent, 


io8  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  tJHE  MAST, 

and  leads  them  insensibly  to  look  on  the  bright  side  of 
everything  for  some  time  after. 

S and  myself  determined  to  keep  as  much  together 

as  possible,  though  we  knew  that  it  would  not  do  to  cut  our 
shipmates  ; for,  knowing  our  birth  and  education,  they 
were  a little  suspicious  that  we  would  try  to  put  on  the 
gentleman  when  we  got  ashore,  and  would  be  ashamed  of 
their  company;  and  this  won't  do  with  Jack.  When  the 
voyage  is  at  an  end,  you  may  do  as  you  please,  but  so  long 
as  you  belong  to  the  same  vessel,  you  must  be  a shipmate 
to  him  on  shore,  or  he  will  not  be  a shipmate  to  you  on 
board.  Being  forewarned  of  this  before  I went  to  sea,  I 
I took  no  “ long  togs”  with  me,  and  being  dressed  like  the 
rest,  in  white  duck  trowsers,  blue  jacket  and  straw  hat, 
which  would  prevent  my  going  in  better  company,  and 
showing  no  disposition  to  avoid  them,  I set  all  suspicions  at 
rest.  Our  crew  fell  in  with  some  who  belonged  to  the  other 
vessels,  and,  sailor-like,  steered  for  the  first  grog-shop. 
This  was  a small  mud  building,  of  only  one  room,  in  which 
were  liquors,  dry  and  West  India  goods,  shoes,  bread,  fruits, 
and  everything  which  is  vendible  in  California.  It  was  kept 
by  a Yankee,  a one-eyed  man,  who  belonged  formerly  to 
Fall  River,  came  out  to  the  Pacific  in  a whale-ship,  left  her  at 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  came  to  California  to  set  up  a 

“ Pulperia.”  S and  I followed  in  our  shipmates'  wake, 

knowing  that  to  refuse  to  drink  with  them  would  be  the 
highest  affront,  but  determining  to  slip  away  at  the  first 
opportunity.  It  is  the  universal  custom  with  sailors  for 
each  one,  in  his  turn,  to  treat  the  whole,  calling  for  a glass 
all  round,  and  obliging  every  one  who  is  present,  even  to 
the  keeper  of  the  shop,  to  take  a glass  with  him.  When 
we  first  came  in,  there  was  some  dispute  between  our  crew 
and  the  others,  whether  the  new-comers  or  the  old  Cali- 
fornia rangers  should  treat  first ; but  it  being  settled  in 
favor  of  the  latter,  each  of  the  crews  of  the  other  vessels 
treated  all  round  in  their  turn,  and  as  there  was  a good 
many  present,  (including  some  “ loafers”  who  had  dropped 
in,  knowing  what  was  going  on,  to  take  advantage  of  Jack's 
hospitality,)  and  the  liquor  was  a real  (12J  cents)  a glass, 
it  made  somewhat  of  a hole  in  their  lockers.  It  was  now 

our  ship’s  turn,  and  S and  I,  anxious  to  get  away, 

stepped  up  to  call  for  glasses ; but  we  soon  found  that  we 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


109 


must  go  in  order — the  oldest  first,  for  the  old  sailors  did 
not  choose  to  be  preceded  by  a couple  of  youngsters  ; and 
bon  gr/,  mal  gre\  we  had  to  wait  our  turn,  with  the  twofold 
apprehension  of  being  too  late  for  our  horses,  and  of  get- 
ting corned ; for  drink  you  must,  every  time  ; and  if  you 
drink  with  one  and  not  with  another,  it  is  always  taken  as 
an  insult. 

Having  at  length  gone  through  our  turns  and  acquitted 
ourselves  of  all  obligations,  we  slipped  out,  and  went  about 
among  the  houses,  endeavoring  to  get  horses  for  the  day, 
so  that  we  might  ride  round  and  see  the  country.  At  first 
we  had  but  little  success,  all  we  could  get  out  of  the  lazy 
fellows,  in  reply  to  our  questions,  being  the  eternal  drawl- 
ing “ Quien  sale?  ” (“  who  knows  ? ”)  which  is  an  answer 
to  all  questions.  After  several  efforts,  we  at  length  fell  in 
with  a little  Sandwich  Island  boy,  who  belonged  to  Captain 
Wilson  of  the  Ayacucho,  and  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
place  ; and  he,  knowing  where  to  go,  soon  procured  us  two 
horses,  ready  saddled  and  bridled,  each  with  a basso  coiled 
over  the  pommel.  These  we  were  to  have  all  day,  with 
the  privilege  of  riding  them  down  to  the  beach  at  night, 
for  a dollar,  which  we  had  to  pay  in  advance.  Horses  are 
the  cheapest  thing  in  California  ; the  very  best  not  being 
worth  more  than  ten  dollars  apiece,  and  very  good  ones 
being  often  sold  for  three,  and  four.  In  taking  a day’s 
ride,  you  pay  for  the  use  of  the  saddle,  and  for  the  labor 
and  trouble  of  catching  the  horses.  If  yoi'vjoring  the  saddle 
back  safe,  they  care  but  little  what  becomes  of  the  horse. 
Mounted  on  our  horses,  which  were  spirited  beasts,  and 
which,  by  the  way,  in  this  country,  are  always  steered  by 
pressing  the  contrary  rein  against  the  neck,  and  not  by 
pulling  on  the  bit — we  started  off  on  a fine  run  over  the 
country.  The  first  place  we  went  to  was  the  old  ruinous 
presidio,  which  stands  on  a rising  ground  near  the  village, 
which  it  overlooks.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  an  open 
square,  like  all  the  other  presidios,  and  was  in  a most  ruin- 
ous state,  with  the  exception  of  one  side,  in  which  the  com- 
mandant lived  with  his  family.  There  were  only  two  guns, 
one  of  which  was  spiked,  and  the  other  had  no  carriage. 
Twelve,  half-clothed,  and  half  starved  looking  fellows,  com- 
posed the  garrison  ; and  they,  it  was  said,  had  not  a mus- 
ket apiece.  The  small  settlement  lay  directly  below  the 


no 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


fort,  composed  of  about  forty  dark  brown  looking  huts,  or 
houses,  and  two  larger  ones,  plastered,  which  belonged  to 
two  of  the  “ gente  de  razon.”  This  town  is  not  more  than 
half  as  large  as  Monterey,  or  Santa  Barbara,  and  has  little 
or  no  business.  From  the  presidio,  we  rode  off  in  the  di< 
rection  of  the  mission,  which  we  were  told  was  three  miles 
distant.  The  country  was  rather  sandy,  and  there  was  no- 
thing for  miles  which  could  be  called  a tree,  but  the  grass 
grew  green  and  rank,  and  there  were  many  bushes  and 
thickets,  and  the  soil  is  said  to  be  good.  After  a pleasant 
ride  of  a couple  of  miles,  we  saw  the  white  walls  of  the 
mission,  and  fording  a small  river,  we  came  directly  be- 
fore it.  The  mission  is  built  of  mud,  or  rather  of  the  un- 
burnt bricks  of  the  country,  and  plastered.  There  was 
something  decidedly  striking  in  its  appearance  : a number 
of  irregular  buildings,  connected  with  one  another,  and  dis- 
posed in  the  form  of  a hollow  square,  with  a church  at  one 
end,  rising  above  the  rest,  with  a tower  containing  five 
belfries,  in  each  of  which  hung  a large  bell,  and  with  an 
immense  rusty  iron  cross  at  the  top.  Just  outside  of 
the  buildings,  and  under  the  walls,  stood  twenty  or  thirty 
small  huts,  built  of  straw  and  the  branches  of  trees, 
grouped  together  in  which  a few  Indians  lived  under 
the  protection  and  in  the  service  of  the  mission. 

Entering  a gateway,  we  drove  into  the  open  square, 
in  which  the  stillness  of  death  reigned.  On  one  side  was 
the  church  ; on  another,  a range  of  high  buildings  with 
grated  windows  ; a third  was  a range  of  smaller  buildings, 
or  offices  ; and  the  fourth  seemed  to  be  little  more  than  a 
high  connecting  wall.  Not  a living  creature  could  we  see. 
We  rode  twice  round  the  square,  in  the  hope  of  waking  up 
some  one  ; and  in  one  circuit,  saw  a tall  monk,  with  shaven 
head,  sandals,  and  the  dress  of  the  Grey  Friars,  pass 
rapidly  though  a gallery,  but  he  disappeared  without  notic- 
ing us.  After  two  circuits,  we  stopped  our  horses,  and 
saw,  at  last,  a man  show  himself  in  front  of  one  of  the 
small  buildings.  We  rode  up  to  him,  and  found  him  dress- 
ed in  the  common  dress  of  the  country,  with  a silver  chain 
round  his  neck,  supporting  a large  bunch  of  keys.  From 
this,  we  took  him  to  be  the  steward  of  the  mission,  and 
addressing  him  as  “ Mayordomo,”  received  alow  bow  and  an 
invitation  to  walk  into  his  room.  Making  our  horses  fast, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


III 


we  went  in.  It  was  a plain  room,  containing  a table,  three 
or  four  chairs,  a small  picture  or  two  of  some  saint,  or 
miracle,  or  martyrdom,  and  a few  dishes  and  glasses. 
“Hay  algunas  cosas  a comer ?”  said  I.  “Si  Senor!” 
said  he.  “ Que  gusta  usted  ? ” Mentioning  frijoles.  which 
I knew  they  must  have  if  they  had  nothing  else,  and  beef 
and  bread,  and  a hint  for  wine,  if  they  had  any,  he  went 
off  to  another  building,  across  the  court,  and  returned 
in  a few  moments,  with  a couple  of  Indian  boys,  bearing 
dishes  and  a decanter  of  wine.  The  dishes  contained 
baked  meats,  frijoles  stewed  with  peppers  and  onions, 
boiled  eggs,  and  California  flour  baked  into  a kind  of 
macaroni.  These,  together  with  the  wine,  made  the  most 
sumptuous  meal  we  had  eaten  since  we  left  Boston  ; and 
compared  with  the  fare  we  had  lived  upon  for  seven  months, 
it  was  a real  banquet.  After  despatching  our  meal,  we 
took  out  some  money  and  asked  him  how  much  we  were 
to  pay.  He  shook  his  head,  and  crossed  himself,  saying 
that  it  was  charity  : — that  the  Lord  gave  it  to  us.  Know- 
ing the  amount  of  this  to  be  that  he  did  not  sell,  but  was 
willing  to  receive  a present,  we  gave  him  ten  or  twelve 
reals , which  he  pocketed  with  admirable  nonchalance, 
saying,  “ Dios  se  lo  pague.”  Taking  leave  of  him,  we  rode 
out  to  the  Indians’  huts.  The  little  children  were  running 
about  among  the  huts,  stark  naked,  and  the  men  were, 
not  much  better  ; but  the  women  had  generally  coarse 
gowns,  of  a sort  of  tow  cloth.  The  men  are  employed, 
most  of  the  time,  in  tending  the  cattle  of  the  mission,  and 
in  working  in  the  garden,  which  is  a very  large  one,  in- 
cluding several  acres,  and  filled,  it  is  said,  with  the  best 
fruits  of  the  climate.  The  language  of  these  people,  which 
is  spoken  by  all  the  Indians  of  California,  is  the  most 
brutish  and  inhuman  language,  without  any  exception, 
that  I ever  heard,  or  that  could  well  be  conceived  of.  It 
is  complete  slabber.  The  words  fall  off  of  the  ends  of 
their  tongues,  and  a continual  slabbering  sound  is  made  in 
the  cheeks,  outside  of  the  teeth.  It  cannot  have  been 
the  language  of  Montezuma  and  the  independent  Mexi- 
cans. 

Here,  among  the  huts,  we  saw  the  oldest  man  that  I 
had  ever  seen  ; and,  indeed,  I never  supposed  that  a per- 
son could  retain  life  and  exhibit  such  marks  of  age.  He 


1 1 2 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


was  sitting  out  in  the  sun,  leaning  against  the  side  of  a 
hut  ; and  his  legs  and  arms,  which  were  bare,  were  of  a 
dark  red  color,  the  skin  withered  and  shrunk  up  like  burnt 
leather,  and  the  limbs  not  larger  round  than  those  of  a boy 
of  five  years.  He  had  a few  gray  hairs,  which  were  tied 
together  at  the  back  of  his  head  ; and  he  was  so  feeble 
that,  when  we  came  up  to  him,  he  raised  his  hands  slowly 
to  his  face,  and  taking  hold  of  his  lids  with  his  fingers, 
lifted  them  up  to  look  at  us  ; and  being  satisfied,  let  them 
drop  again.  All  command  over  the  lid  seemed  to  have 
gone.  I asked  his  age,  but  could  get  no  answer  but 
“ Quien  sabe  ? ” and  they  probably  did  not  know  the  age. 

Leaving  the  mission,  we  returned  to  the  village,  going 
nearly  all  the  way  on  a full  run.  The  California  horses 
have  no  medium  gait,  which  is  pleasant,  between  walking 
and  running  ; for  as  there  are  no  streets  and  parades,  they 
have  no  need  of  the  genteel  trot,  and  their  riders  usually 
keep  them  at  the  top  of  their  speed  until  they  are  tired, 
and  then  let  them  rest  themselves  by  walking.  The  fine 
air  of  the  afternoon  ; the  rapid  rate  of  the  animals,  who 
seemed  almost  to  fly  over  the  ground ; and  the  excit- 
ment  and  novelty  of  the  motion  to  us,  who  had  been  so 
long  confined  on  shipboard,  were  exhilarating  beyond  ex- 
pression, and  we  felt  willing  to  ride  all  day  long.  Coming 
into  the  village,  we  found  things  looking  very  lively.  The 
Indians,  who  always  have  a holiday  on  Sunday,  were 
engaged  at  playing  a kind  of  running  game  of  ball,  on  a 
level  piece  of  ground,  near  the  houses.  The  old  ones  sat 
down  in  a ring,  looking  on,  while  the  young  ones — men, 
boys,  and  girls — were  chasing  the  ball,  and  throwing  it 
with  all  their  might.  Some  of  the  girls  ran  like  grey- 
hounds. At  every  accident,  or  remarkable  feat,  the  old 
people  set  up  a deafening  screaming  and  clapping  of  hands. 
Several  blue  jackets  were  reeling  about  among  the  houses, 
which  showed  that  the  pulperias  had  been  well  patronized. 
One  or  two  of  the  sailors  had  got  on  horseback,  but  being 
rather  indifferent  horsemen,  and  the  Spaniards  having 
given  them  vicious  horses,  they  were  soon  thrown,  much 
to  the  amusement  of  the  people.  A half  dozen  Sandwich 
Islanders,  from  the  hide-houses  and  the  two  brigs,  who  were 
bold  riders,  were  dashing  about  on  the  full  gallop,  halloo- 
ing and  laughing  like  so  many  wild  men. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


**3 

It  was  now  nearly  sundown,  and  S and  myself 

went  into  a house  and  sat  quietly  down  to  rest  ourselves 
before  going  down  to  the  beach.  Several  people  soon 
collected  to  see  “ los  Ingles  marineros,”  and  one  of  them 
— a young  woman — took  a great  fancy  to  my  pocket  hand- 
kerchief, which  was  a large  silk  one  that  I had  before 
going  to  sea,  and  a handsomer  one  than  they  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  seeing.  Of  course,  I gave  it  to  her  ; which 
brought  us  into  high  favor  ; and  we  had  a present  of  some 
pears  and  other  fruits,  which  we  took  down  to  the  beach 
with  us.  When  we  came  to  leave  the  house,  we  found  that 
our  horses,  which  we  left  tied  at  the  door,  were  both  gone. 
We  had  paid  for  them  to  ride  down  to  the  beach,  but  they 
were  not  to  be  found.  We  went  to  the  man  of  whom  we 
hired  them,  but  he  only  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  to  our 
question,  “ Where  are  the  horses  ? ” only  answered — 
“ Quien  sabe  ? ” but  as  he  was  very  easy,  and  made  no 
inquiries  for  the  saddles,  we  saw  that  he  knew  very  well 
where  they  were.  After  a little  trouble,  determined  not 
to  walk  down, — a distance  of  three  miles— we  procured 
two,  at  four  reals  apiece,  with  an  Indian  boy  to  run  on 
behind  and  bring  them  back.  Determined  to  have  “ the 
go”  out  of  the  horses,  for  our  trouble,  we  went  down  at  full 
speed,  and  were  on  the  beach  in  fifteen  minutes.  Wishing 
to  make  our  liberty  last  as  long  as  possible,  we  rode  up 
and  down  among  the  hide-houses,  amusing  ourselves  with 
seeing  the  men,  as  they  came  down,  (it  was  now  dusk,) 
some  on  horseback  and  others  on  foot.  The  Sandwich 
Islanders  rode  down,  and  were  in  “ high  snuff.”  We  in- 
quired for  our  shipmates,  and  were  told  that  two  of  them 
had  started  on  horseback  and  been  thrown  or  had  fallen 
off,  and  were  seen  heading  for  the  beach,  but  steering 
pretty  wild,  and  by  the  looks  of  things,  would  not  be  down 
much  before  midnight. 

The  Indian  boys  having  arrived,  we  gave  them  our 
horses,  and  having  seen  them  safely  off,  hailed  for  a boat 
and  went  aboard.  Thus  ended  our  first  liberty-day  on 
shore.  We  were  well  tired,  but  had  had  a good  time,  and 
were  more  willing  to  go  back  to  our  old  duties.  About 
midnight,  we  were  waked  up  by  our  two  watch-mates,  who 
had  come  aboard  in  high  dispute.  It  seems  they  had 
started  to  come  down  on  the  same  horse,  double-backed  ; 


n4  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

and  each  was  accusing  the  other  of  being  the  cause  of  his 
fall.  They  soon,  however,  turned-in  and  fell  asleep  and 
probably  forgot  all  about  it,  for  the  next  morning  the  dis- 
pute was  not  renewed. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  next  sound  that  we  heard  was  “ All  hands  ahoy  1 99 
and  looking  up  the  scuttle,  saw  that  it  was  just  daylight. 
Our  liberty  had  now  truly  taken  flight,  and  with  it  was  laid 
away  our  pumps,  stockings,  blue  jackets,  neckerchiefs,  and 
other  go-ashore  paraphernalia,  and  putting  on  old  duck 
trowsers,  red  shirts,  and  Scotch  caps,  began  taking  out  and 
landing  our  hides.  For  three  days  we  were  hard  at  work, 
from  the  gray  of  the  morning  until  starlight,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a short  time  allowed  for  meals,  in  this  duty. 
For  landing  and  taking  on  board  hides,  San  Diego  is  de- 
cidedly the  best  place  in  California.  The  harbor  is  small 
and  land-locked  ; there  is  no  surf  ; the  vessels  lie  within 
a cable’s  length  of  the  beach  ; and  the  beach  itself  is 
smooth,  hard  sand,  without  rocks  or  stones.  For  these  rea- 
sons, it  is  used  by  all  the  vessels  in  the  trade,  as  a depot ; 
and,  indeed,  it  would  be  impossible,  when  loading  with  the 
cured  hides  for  the  passage  home,  to  take  them  on  board 
at  any  of  the  open  ports,  without  getting  them  wet  in  the 
surf,  which  would  spoil  them.  We  took  possession  of  one 
of  the  hide-houses,  which  belonged  to  our  firm,  and  had 
been  used  by  the  California.  It  was  built  to  hold  forty 
thousand  hides,  and  we  had  the  pleasing  prospect  of  filling 
it  before  we  could  leave  the  coast  ; and  toward  this,  our 
thirty-five  hundred,  which  we  brought  down  with  us,  would 
do  but  little.  There  was  not  a man  on  board  who  did  not 
go  a dozen  times  into  the  house,  and  look  round,  and  make 
some  calculation  of  the  time  it  would  require. 

The  hides,  as  they  come  rough  and  uncured  from  the 
vessels,  are  piled  up  outside  of  the  houses,  whence  they 
are  taken  and  carried  through  a regular  process  of  pick- 
ling, drying,  cleaning,  etc.,  and  stowed  away  in  the  house, 
ready  to  put  on  board.  This  process  is  necessary  in  order 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


ll5 


that  they  may  keep,  during  a long  voyage  and  in  warm 
latitudes.  For  the  purpose  of  curing  and  taking  care  of 
these  hides,  an  officer  and  a part  of  the  crew  of  each  ves- 
sel are  usually  left  ashore  ; and  it  was  for  this  business, 
we  found,  that  our  new  officer  had  joined  us.  As  soon  as 
the  hides  were  landed,  he  took  charge  of  the  house,  and 
the  captain  intended  to  leave  two  or  three  of  us  with  him, 
hiring  Sandwich  Islanders  to  take  our  places  on  board  ; 
but  he  could  not  get  any  Sandwich  Islanders  to  go, 
though  he  offered  them  fifteen  dollars  a month ; for  the 
report  of  the  flogging  had  got  among  them,  and  he  was 
called  “aole  maikai,”  (no  good,)  and  that  was  an  end  of 
the  business.  They  were,  however,  willing  to  work  on 
shore,  and  four  of  them  were  hired  and  put  with  Mr,  Rus- 
sell to  cure  the  hides. 

After  landing  our  hides,  we  next  sent  ashore  all  our 
spare  spars  and  rigging ; all  the  stores  which  we  did  not 
want  to  use  in  the  course  of  one  trip  to  windward ; and, 
in  fact,  everything  which  we  could  spare,  so  as  to  make 
room  for  hides : among  other  things,  the  pig-sty,  and  with 
it  “ old  Bess.”  This  was  an  old  sow  that  we  had  brought 
from  Boston,  and  which  lived  to  get  round  Cape  Horn, 
where  all  the  other  pigs  died  from  cold  and  wet.  Report 
said  that  she  had  been  a Canton  voyage  before.  She 
had  been  the  pet  of  the  cook  during  the  whole  passage, 
and  he  had  fed  her  with  the  best  of  everything,  and  taught 
her  to  know  his  voice,  and  to  do  a number  of  strange 
tricks  for  his  amusement.  Tom  Cringle  says  that  no  one 
can  fathom  a negro’s  affection  for  a pig ; and  I believe  he 
is  right,  for  it  almost  broke  our  poor  darky's  heart  when 
he  heard  that  Bess  was  to  be  taken  ashore,  and  that  he 
vyas  to  have  the  care  of  her  no  more  during  the  whole  voy- 
age. He  had  depended  upon  her  as  a solace,  during  the 
long  trips  up  and  down  the  coast.  “ Obey  orders,  if  you 
break  owners  ! ” said  he.  “ Break  hearts? ’ he  meant  to 
have  said  ; and  lent  a hand  to  get  her  over  the  side,  trying 
to  make  it  as  easy  for  her  as  possible.  We  got  a whip  up 
on  the  main-yard,  and  hooking  it  to  a strap  round  her 
body,  swayed  away  ; and  giving  a wink  to  one  another, ran 
her  chock  up  to  the  yard.  “’Vast  there  ! ’vast ! ” said 
the  mate  ; “ none  of  your  skylarking  ! Lower  away  ! 99 
But  he  evidently  enjoyed  the  joke.  The  pig  squealed  like 


1 16  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

the  “ crack  of  doom,”  and  tears  stood  in  the  poor  darky’s 
eyes  ; and  he  muttered  something  about  having  no  pity  on 
a dumb  beast.  “ Dumb  beast  1”  said  Jack;  “if  she’s 
what  you  call  a dumb  beast,  then  my  eyes  a’n’t  mates.” 
This  produced  a laugh  from  all  but  the  cook.  He  was 
too  intent  upon  seeing  her  safe  in  the  boat.  He  watched 
her  all  the  way  ashore,  where,  upon  her  landing,  she  was 
received  by  a whole  troop  of  her  kind,  who  had  been  set 
ashore  from  the  other  vessels,  and  had  multiplied  and 
formed  a large  commonwealth.  From  the  door  of  his  gal- 
ley, the  cook  used  to  watch  them  in  their  manoeuvres,  set- 
ting up  a shout  and  clapping  his  hands  whenever  Bess 
came  off  victorious  in  the  struggles  for  pieces  of  raw  hide 
and  half-picked  bones  which  were  lying  about  the  beach. 
During  the  day,  he  saved  all  the  nice  things,  and  made  a 
bucket  of  swill,  and  asked  us  to  take  it  ashore  in  the  gig, 
and  looked  quite  disconcerted  when  the  mate  told  him 
that  he  would  pitch  the  swill  overboard,  and  him  after  it, 
if  he  saw  any  of  it  go  into  the  boats.  We  told  him  that 
he  thought  more  about  the  pig  than  he  did  about  his  wife, 
who  lived  down  in  Robinson’s  Alley;  and,  indeed,  he 
could  hardly  have  been  more  attentive,  for  he  actually,  on 
several  nights,  after  dark,  when  he  thought  he  would  not 
be  seen,  sculled  himself  ashore  in  a boat  with  a bucket  of 
nice  swill,  and  returned  like  Leander  from  crossing  the 
Hellespont. 

The  next  Sunday  the  other  half  of  our  crew  went 
ashore  on  liberty,  and  left  us  on  board,  to  enjoy  the  first 
quiet  Sunday  which  we  had  had  upon  the  coast.  Here 
were  no  hides  to  come  off,  and  no  southeaster  to  fear. 
We  washed  and  mended  our  clothes  in  the  morning,  and 
spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  reading  and  writing.  Several 
of  us  wrote  letters  to  send  home  by  the  Lagoda.  At 
twelve  o’clock  the  Ayacucho  dropped  her  fore  topsail, 
which  was  a signal  for  her  sailing.  She  unmoored  and 
warped  down  into  the  bight,  from  which  she  got  under 
weigh.  During  this  operation,  her  crew  were  a long  time 
heaving  at  the  windlass,  and  I listened  for  nearly  an  hour 
to  the  musical  notes  of  a Sandwich  Islander,  called  Ma* 
hannah,  who  “ sang  out  ” for  them.  Sailors,  when  heav- 
ing at  a windlass,  in  order  that  they  may  heave  together, 
always  have  one  to  sing  out;  which  is  done  in  a peculiar. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


ll7 

high  and  long-drawn  note,  varying  with  the  motion  of  the 
windlass.  This  requires  a high  voice,  strong  lungs,  and 
much  practice,  to  be  done  well.  This  fellow  had  a very 
peculiar,  wild  sort  of  note,  breaking  occasionally  into  a 
falsetto.  The  sailors  thought  that  it  was  too  high,  and  not 
enough  of  the  boatswain  hoarseness  about  it ; but  to  me 
it  had  a great  charm.  The  harbor  was  perfectly  still,  and 
his  voice  rang  among  the  hills,  as  though  it  could  have 
been  heard  for  miles.  Toward  sundown,  a good  breeze 
having  sprung  up,  she  got  under  weigh,  and  with  her  long, 
sharp  head  cutting  elegantly  through  the  water,  on  a taught 
bowline,  she  stood  directly  out  of  the  harbor,  and  bore 
away  to  the  southward.  She  was  bound  to  Callao,  and 
thence  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  expected  to  be  on 
the  coast  again  in  eight  or  ten  months. 

At  the  close  of  the  week  we  were  ready  to  sail,  but 
were  delayed  a day  or  two  by  the  running  away  of  Foster, 
the  man  who  had  been  our  second  mate,  and  was  turned 
forward.  From  the  time  that  he  was  “ broken,”  he  had 
had  a dog’s  berth  on  board  the  vessel,  and  determined  to 
run  away  at  the  first  opportunity.  Having  shipped  for  an 
officer  when  he  was  not  half  a seaman,  he  found  little  pity 
with  the  crew,  and  was  not  man  enough  to  hold  his  ground 
among  them.  The  captain  called  him  a “ soger, and 
promised  to  “ ride  him  down  as  he  would  the  main  tack;  ” 
and  when  officers  are  once  determined  to  “ ride  a man 
down,”  it  is  a gone  case  with  him.  He  had  had  several 
difficulties  with  the  captain,  and  asked  leave  to  go  home 
in  the  Lagoda  ; but  this  was  refused  him.  One  night  he 
was  insolent  to  an  officer  on  the  beach,  and  refused  to 
come  aboard  in  the  boat.  He  was  reported  to  the  cap- 
tain ; and,  as  he  came  aboard, — it  being  past  the  proper 
hour, — he  was  called  aft,  and  told  that  he  was  to  have  a 
flogging.  Immediately,  he  fell  down  an  deck,  calling  out 

* Soger  (soldier)  is  the  worst  term  of  reproach  that  can  be  applied 
to  a sailor.  It  signifies  a skulk , a sherk , — one  who  is  always  trying  to 
get  clear  of  work,  and  is  out  of  the  way,  or  hanging  back,  when  duty 
is  to  be  done,  “ Marine  ” is  the  term  applied  more  particularly  to  a 
man  who  is  ignorant  and  clumsy  about  seaman’s  work — a green-horn 
—a  land-lubber.  To  make  a sailor  shoulder  a handspike,  and  walk 
fore  and  aft  the  deck,  like  a sentry,  is  the  most  ignominious  punish- 
ment that  could  be  put  upon  him.  Such  a punishment  inflicted  upon 
an  able  seaman  in  a vessel  of  war,  would  break  his  spirit  down  more 
than  a flogging. 


n8 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


— “ Don’t  flog  me,  Captain  T ; don’t  flog  me!”  and 

the  captain,  angry  with  him,  and  disgusted  with  his  cowar- 
dice, gave  him  a few  blows  over  the  back  with  a rope’s 
end  and  sent  him  forward.  He  was  not  much  hurt,  but  a 
good  deal  frightened,  and  made  up  his  mind  to  run  away 
that  very  night.  This  was  managed  better  than  anything 
he  ever  did  in  his  life,  and  seemed  really  to  show  some 
spirit  and  forethought.  He  gave  his  bedding  and  mat- 
tress to  one  of  the  Lagoda’s  crew,  who  took  it  aboard  his 
vessel  as  something  which  he  had  bought  and  promised  to 
keep  it  for  him.  He  then  unpacked  his  chest,  putting  all 
his  valuable  clothes  into  a large  canvas  bag,  and  told 
one  of  us,  who  had  the  watch,  to  call  him  at  midnight. 
Coming  on  deck  at  midnight,  and  finding  no  officer  on 
deck,  and  all  still  aft,  he  lowered  his  bag  into  a boat,  got 
softly  down  into  it,  cast  off  the  painter,  and  let  it  drop 
down  silently  with  the  tide  until  he  was  out  of  hearing, 
when  he  sculled  ashore. 

The  next  morning,  when  all  hands  were  mustered,  there 
was  a great  stir  to  find  Foster.  Of  course,  we  would  tell 
nothing,  and  all  they  could  discover  was,  that  he  had  left 
an  empty  chest  behind  him,  and  that  he  went  off  in  a boat ; 
for  they  saw  it  lying  up  high  and  dry  on  the  beach.  After 
breakfast,  the  captain  went  up  to  the  town,  and  offered  a 
reward  of  twenty  dollars  for  him  ; and  for  a couple  of  days, 
the  soldiers,  Indians,  and  all  others  who  had  nothing  to 
do,  were  scouring  the  country  for  him,  on  horseback,  but 
without  effect ; for  he  was  safely  concealed,  all  the  time, 
within  fifty  rods  of  the  hide-houses.  As  soon  as  he  had 
landed,  he  went  directly  to  the  Lagoda’s  hide-house,  and  a 
part  of  her  crew,  who  were  living  there  on  the  shore,  pro- 
mised to  conceal  him  and  his  traps  until  the  Pilgrim  should 
sail,  and  then  to  intercede  with  Captain  Bradshaw  to  take 
him  on  board  the  ship.  Just  behind  the  hide-houses,  among 
the  thickets  and  underwood,  was  a small  cave,  the  entrance 
to  which  was  known  only  to  two  men  on  the  beach,  and 
which  was  so  well  concealed  that,  though,  when  I after- 
wards came  to  live  on  shore,  it  was  shown  to  me  two  or 
three  times,  I was  never  able  to  find  it  alone.  To  this  cave 
he  was  carried  before  day-break  in  the  morning,  and  sup- 
plied with  bread  and  water,  and  th(#*e  remained  until  he 
saw  us  under  weigh  and  well  round  the  point. 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  TIIE  MAST 


119 


Friday , March  27///.  The  captain  having  given  up  all 
hope  of  finding  Foster,  and  being  unwilling  to  delay  any 
longer,  gave  orders  for  unmooring  ship,  and  we  made  sail, 
dropping  slowly  down  with  the  tide  and  light  wind.  We 
left  letters  with  Captain  Bradshaw  to  take  to  Boston,  and 
had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  him  say  that  he  should  be 
back  again  before  we  left  the  coast.  The  wind,  which  was 
very  light,  died  away  soon  after  we  doubled  the  point,  and 
we  lay  becalmed  for  two  days,  not  moving  three  miles  the 
whole  time,  and  a part  of  the  second  day  were  almost  with- 
in sight  of  the  vessels.  On  the  third  day,  about  noon,  a 
cool  seabreeze  came  rippling  and  darkening  the  surface  of 
the  water,  and  by  sundown  we  were  oft  St.  Juan’s,  which 
is  about  forty  miles  from  San  Diego,  and  is  called  half  way 
to  San  Pedro,  where  we  were  now  bound.  Our  crew  was 
now  considerably  weakened.  One  man  we  had  lost  over- 
board; another  had  been  taken  aft  as  clerk;  and  a third 

had  run  away;  so  that,  besides  S and  myself,  there 

were  only  three  able  seamen  and  one  boy  of  twelve  years 
of  age.  With  this  diminished  and  discontented  crew,  and 
in  a small  vessel,  we  were  now  to  battle  the  watch  through  a 
couple  of  years  of  hard  service ; yet  there  was  not  one  who 
was  not  glad  that  Foster  had  escaped  ; for,  shiftless  and 
good  for  nothing  as  he  was,  no  one  could  wish  to  see  him 
dragging  on  a miserable  life  cowed  down  and  disheartened  ; 
and  we  were  all  rejoiced  to  hear  upon  our  return  to  San 
Diego,  about  two  months  afterwards,  that  he  had  been  im- 
mediately taken  aboard  the  Lagoda,  and  went  home  in 
her,  on  regular  seaman’s  wages. 

After  a slow  passage  of  five  days,  we  arrived,  on  Wed- 
nesday, the  first  of  April,  at  our  old  anchoring  ground  at  San 
Pedro.  The  bay  was  as  deserted,  and  looked  as  dreary  as 
before,  and  formed  no  pleasing  contrast  with  the  security 
and  snugness  of  San  Diego,  and  the  activity  and  interest 
which  the  loading  and  unloading  of  four  vessels  gave  to 
that  scene.  In  a few  days  the  hides  began  to  come  slowly 
down,  and  we  got  into  the  old  business  of  rolling  goods  up 
the  hill,  pitching  hides  down,  and  pulling  our  long  league 
off  and  on.  Nothing  of  note  occurred  while  we  were  lay- 
ing here,  except  that  an  attempt  was  made  to  repair  the 
small  Mexican  brig  which  had  been  cast  away  in  a south- 
easter, and  which  now  lay  high  and  dry,  over  one  reef  of 


120 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


rocks  and  two  sand-banks.  Our  carpenter  surveyed  her, 
and  pronounced  her  capable  of  refitting,  and  in  a few  days 
the  owners  came  down  from  the  Pueblo,  and  waiting  for 
the  high  spring  tides,  with  the  help  of  our  cables,  kedges, 
and  crew,  got  her  off  and  afloat,  after  several  trials.  The 
three  men  at  the  house  on  shore,  who  had  formerly  been 
a part  of  her  crew,  now  joined  her,  and  seemed  glad  enough 
at  the  prospect  of  getting  off  the  coast. 

On  board  our  own  vessel,  things  went  on  in  the  common 
monotonous  way.  The  excitement  which  immediately 
followed  the  flogging  scene  had  passed  off,  but  the  effect 
of  it  upon  the  crew,  and  especially  upon  the  two  men 
themselves,  remained.  The  different  manner  in  which 
these  men  were  affected,  corresponding  to  their  different 
characters,  was  not  a little  remarkable.  John  was  a for- 
eigner and  high-tempered,  and  though  mortified,  as  any 
one  would  be  at  having  had  the  worst  of  an  encounter,  yet 
his  chief  feeling  seemed  to  be  anger ; and  he  talked  much 
of  satisfaction  and  revenge,  if  he  ever  got  back  to  Boston. 
But  with  the  other,  it  was  very  different.  He  was  an 
American,  and  had  had  some  education  ; and  this  thing 
coming  upon  him,  seemed  completely  to  break  him  down. 
He  had  a feeling  of  the  degradation  that  had  been  inflicted 
upon  him,  which  the  other  man  was  incapable  of.  Before 
that,  he  had  a good  deal  of  fun,  and  amused  us  often  with 
queer  negro  stories, — (he  was  from  a slave  state);  but 
afterwards  he  seldom  smiled ; seemed  to  lose  all  life  and 
elasticity ; and  appeared  to  have  but  one  wish,  and  that 
was  for  the  voyage  to  be  at  an  end.  I have  often  known 
him  to  draw  a long  sigh  when  he  was  alone,  and  he  took 
but  little  part  or  interest  in  John's  plans  of  satisfaction  and 
retaliation. 

After  a stay  of  about  a fortnight,  during  which  we 
slipped  for  one  southeaster,  and  were  at  sea  two  days,  we 
got  under  weigh  for  Santa  Barbara.  It  was  now  the 
middle  of  April,  and  the  southeaster  season  was  nearly 
over ; and  the  light,  regular  trade-winds,  which  blow  down 
the  coast,  began  to  set  steadily  in,  during  the  latter  part  of 
each  day.  Against  these,  we  beat  slowly  up  to  Santa  Bar- 
bara— a distance  of  about  ninety  miles — in  three  days. 
There  we  found,  lying  at  anchor,  the  large  Genoese  ship 
which  we  saw  in  the  same  place,  on  the  first  day  of  our 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


1 2 1 


coming  upon  the  coast.  She  had  been  up  to  San  Francis* 
co?  or,  as  it  is  called,  “ chock  up  to  windward,”  had  stop- 
ped at  Monterey  on  her  way  down,  and  was  shortly  to  pro- 
ceed to  San  Pedro  and  San  Diego,  and  thence,  taking  in 
her  cargo,  to  sail  for  Valparaiso  and  Cadiz.  She  was  a 
large,  clumsy  ship,  and  with  her  topmasts  stayed  forward, 
and  high  poop-deck,  looked  like  an  old  woman  with  a 
crippled  back.  It  was  now  the  close  of  Lent,  and  on 
Good  Friday  she  had  all  her  yards  a ’-cock-bill,  which  is 
customary  among  Catholic  vessels.  Some  also  have  an 
effigy  of  Judas,  which  the  crew  amuse  themselves  with 
keel-hauling  and  hanging  by  the  neck  from  the  y?*d-arms. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  next  Sunday  was  Easter  Sunday,  and  as  there 
had  been  no  liberty  at  San  Pedro,  it  was  our  turn  to  go 
ashore  and  misspend  another  Sabbath.  Soon  after  break- 
fast, a large  boat,  filled  with  men  in  blue  jackets,  scarlet 
caps,  and  various  colored  underclothes,  bound  ashore  on 
liberty,  left  the  Italian  ship,  and  passed  under  our  stern  ; 
the  men  singing  beautiful  Italian  boat-songs,  all  the  way, 
in  fine,  full  chorus.  Among  the  songs  I recognized  the 
favorite  “ O Pescator  dell’  onda.”  It  brought  back  to  my 
mind  piano-fortes,  drawing-rooms,  young  ladies  singing, 
and  a thousand  other  things  which  as  little  befitted  me,  in 
iny  situation,  to  be  thinking  upon.  Supposing  that  the 
whole  day  would  be  too  long  a time  to  spend  ashore,  as 
there  was  no  place  to  which  we  could  take  a ride,  we 
remained  quietly  on  board  until  after  dinner.  We  were 
then  pulled  ashore  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and,  with 
orders  to  be  on  the  beach  at  sundown,  we  took  our  way 
for  the  town.  There,  everything  wore  the  appearance  of  a 
holiday.  The  people  were  all  dressed  in  their  best ; the 
men  riding  about  on  horseback  among  the  houses,  and  the 
women  sitting  on  carpets  before  the  doors.  Under  the 
piazza  of  a “ pulperia,”  two  men  were  seated,  decked  out 
with  knots  of  ribbons  and  bouquets,  and  playing  the  violin 


123 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


and  the  Spanish  guitar.  These  are  the  only  instruments, 
with  the  exception  of  the  drums  and  trumpets  at  Monterey, 
that  I ever  heard  in  California ; and  I suspect  they  play 
upon  no  others,  for  at  a great  fandango  at  which  I was 
afterwards  present,  and  where  they  mustered  all  the  music 
they  could  find,  there  were  three  violins  and  two  guitars, 
and  no  other  instruments.  As  it  was  now  too  near  the 
middle  of  the  day  to  see  any  dancing,  and  hearing  that  a 
bull  was  expected  down  from  the  country,  to  be  baited  in 
the  presidio  square,  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two,  we 
took  a stroll  among  the  houses.  Inquiring  for  an  Ameri- 
can who,  we  had  been  told,  had  married  in  the  place,  and 
kept  a shop,  we  were  directed  to  a long,  low  building,  at 
the  end  of  which  was  a door,  with  a sign  over  it,  in 
Spanish.  Entering  the  shop,  we  found  no  one  in  it,  and 
the  whole  had  an  empty,  deserted  appearance.  In  a few 
minutes  the  man  made  his  appearance,  and  apologized  for 
having  nothing  to  entertain  us  with,  saying  that  he  had 
had  a fandango  at  his  house  the  night  before,  and  the 
people  had  eaten  and  drunk  up  everything. 

“ Oh  yes  ! ” said  I,  “ Easter  holidays  ! ” 

“ No  ! ” said,  he,  with  a singular  expression  to  his  face  ; 
“ I had  a little  daughter  die  the  other  day,  and  that’s  the 
custom  of  the  country.” 

Here  I felt  a little  strangely,  not  knowing  what  to  say, 
or  whether  to  offer  consolation  or  not,  and  was  beginning 
to  retire,  when  he  opened  a side  door  and  told  us  to  walk 
in.  Here  I was  no  less  astonished  ; for  I found  a large 
room,  filled  with  young  girls,  from  three  or  four  years  of 
age  up  to  fifteen  and  sixteen,  dressed  all  in  white,  with 
wreaths  of  flowers  on  their  heads,  and  bouquets  in  their 
hands.  Following  our  conductor  through  all  these  girls, 
who  were  playing  about  in  high  spirits,  we  came  to  a table 
at  the  end  of  the  room,  covered  with  a white  cloth,  on 
which  lay  a coffin,  about  three  feet  long,  with  the  body  of 
his  child.  The  coffin  was  lined  on  the  outside  with  white 
cloth,  and  on  the  inside  with  white  satin,  and  was  strewed 
with  flowers.  Through  an  open  door  we  saw,  in  another 
room,  a few  elderly  people  in  common  dresses ; while  the 
benches  and  tables  thrown  up  in  a corner,  and  the  stained 
walls,  gave  evident  signs  of  the  last  night’s  “ high  go.” 
Feeling,  like  Garrick,  between  tragedy  and  comedy,  an  un- 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


123 


certainty  of  purpose  and  a little  awkwardness,  I asked  the 
man  when  the  funeral  would  take  place,  and  being  told 
that  it  would  move  toward  the  mission  in  about  an  hour, 
took  my  leave. 

To  pass  away  the  time,  we  took  horses  and  rode  down 
to  the  beach,  and  there  found  three  or  four  Italian  sailors, 
mounted,  and  riding  up  and  down,  on  the  hard  sand,  at  a 
furious  rate.  We  joined  them,  and  found  it  fine  sport. 
The  beach  gave  us  a stretch  of  a mile  or  more,  and  the 
horses  flew  over  the  smooth,  hard  sand,  apparently  in- 
vigorated and  excited  by  the  salt  sea-breeze,  and  by  the 
continual  roar  and  dashing  of  the  breakers.  From  the 
beach  we  returned  to  the  town,  and  finding  that  the 
funeral  procession  had  moved,  rode  on  and  overtook  it, 
about  half  way  to  the  mission.  Here  was  as  peculiar  a 
sight  as  we  had  seen  before  in  the  house  ; the  one  looking 
as  much  like  a funeral  procession  as  the  other  did  like  a 
house  of  mourning.  The  little  coffin  was  borne  by  eight 
girls,  who  were  continually  relieved  by  others,  running  for- 
ward from  the  procession  and  taking  their  places.  Eehind 
it  came  a straggling  company  of  girls,  dressed  as  before, 
in  white  and  flowers,  and  including,  I should  suppose  by 
their  numbers,  nearly  all  the  girls  between  five  and  fifteen 
in  the  place.  They  played  along  on  the  way,  frequently 
stopping  and  running  all  together  to  talk  to  some  one,  or 
to  pick  up  a flower,  and  then  running  on  again  to  overtake 
the  coffin.  There  were  a few  elderly  women  in  common 
colors  ; and  a herd  of  young  men  and  boys,  some  on  foot 
and  others  mounted,  followed  them,  or  walked  or  rode  by 
their  side,  frequently  interrupting  them  by  jokes  and 
questions.  But  the  most  singular  thing  of  all  was,  that 
two  men  walked,  one  on  each  side  of  the  coffin,  carrying 
muskets  in  their  hands,  which  they  continually  loaded  and 
fired  into  the  air.  Whether  this  was  to  keep  off  the  evil 
spirits  or  not,  I do  not  know.  It  was  the  only  interpreta- 
tion that  I could  put  upon  it. 

As  we  drew  near  the  mission,  we  saw  the  great  gate 
thrown  open,  and  the  padre  standing  on  the  steps,  with 
a crucifix  in  hand.  The  mission  is  a large  and  deserted- 
looking  place,  the  out-buildings  going  to  ruin,  and  every- 
thing giving  one  the  impression  of  decayed  grandeur.  A 
large  stone  fountain  threw  out  pure  water,  from  tout 


124 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


mouths,  into  a basin,  before  the  church  door ; and  we 
were  on  the  point  of  riding  up  to  let  our  horses  drink, 
when  it  occurred  to  us  that  it  might  be  consecrated,  and  we 
forbore.  Just  at  this  moment,  the  bells  set  up  their  harsh, 
discordant  clang ; and  the  procession  moved  into  the 
court.  I was  anxious  to  follow,  and  see  the  ceremony, 
but  the  horse  of  one  of  my  companions  had  become 
frightened,  and  was  tearing  off  toward  the  town  ; and  hav- 
ing thrown  his  rider,  and  got  one  of  his  feet  caught  in  the 
saddle,  which  had  slipped,  was  fast  dragging  and  ripping 
it  to  pieces.  Knowing  that  my  shipmate  could  not  speak 
a word  of  Spanish,  and  fearing  that  he  would  get  into  dif- 
ficulty, I was  obliged  to  leave  the  ceremony  and  ride  after 
him.  I soon  overtook  him,  trudging  along,  swearing  at 
the  horse,  and  carrying  the  remains  of  the  saddle  of  which 
he  had  picked  up  on  the  road.  Going  to  the  owner  of  the 
horse,  we  made  a settlement  with  him,  and  found  him  sur- 
prisingly liberal.  All  parts  of  the  saddle  were  brought 
back,  and  being  capable  of  repair,  he  was  satisfied  with 
six  reals.  We  thought  it  would  have  been  a few  dollars. 
We  pointed  to  the  horse,  which  was  now  half  way  up  one 
of  the  mountains  ; but  he  shook  his  head,  saying,  “ No  im- 
pore  ! ” and  giving  us  to  understand  that  he  had  plenty 
more. 

Having  returned  to  the  town,  we  saw  a great  crowd 
collected  in  the  square  before  the  principal  pulperia,  and 
riding  up,  found  that  all  these  people — men,  women,  and 
children — had  been  drawn  together  by  a couple  of  bantam 
cocks.  The  cocks  were  in  full  tilt,  springing  into  one 
another  and  the  people  were  as  eager,  laughing  and 
shouting,  as  though  the  combatants  had  been  men.  There 
had  been  a disappointment  about  the  bull ; he  had  broken 
his  bail,  and  taken  himself  off,  and  it  was  too  late  to  get 
another , so  the  people  were  obliged  to  put  up  with  a 
cock-fight.  One  of  the  bantams  having  been  knocked  in 
the  head,  and  had  an  eye  put  out,  he  gave  in,  and  two 
monstrous  prize-cocks  were  brought  on.  These  were  the 
object  of  the  whole  affair;  the  two  bantams  having  been 
merely  served  up  as  a first  course,  to  collect  the  people  to- 
gether. Two  fellows  came  into  the  ring  holding  the  cocks 
in  their  arms,  and  stroking  them,  and  running  about  on 
all  fours,  encouraging  and  setting  them  on.  Bets  ran 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 125 

high,  and,  like  most  other  contests,  it  remained  for  some 
time  undecided.  They  both  showed  great  pluck,  and 
fought  probably  better  and  longer  than  their  masters  would. 
Whether,  in  the  end,  it  was  the  white  or  the  red  that  beat, 
I do  not  recollect ; but  whichever  it  was,  he  strutted  off 
with  the  true  veni-vidi-vici  look,  leaving  the  other  lying 
panting  on  his  beam-ends. 

This  matter  having  been  settled,  we  heard  some  talk 
about  “ caballos”  and  “ carrera ,”  and  seeing  the  people 
all  streaming  off  in  one  direction,  we  followed,  and  came 
upon  a level  piece  of  ground,  just  out  of  town,  which  was 
used  as  a racecourse.  Here  the  crowd  soon  became  thick 
again  ; the  ground  was  marked  off  ; the  judges  stationed  ; 
and  the  horses  led  up  to  one  end.  Two  fine-looking  old 
gentlemen — Don  Carlos  and  Don  Domingo,  so  called — • 
held  the  stakes,  and  all  was  now  ready.  We  waited  some 
time,  during  which  we  could  just  see  the  horses  twisting 
round  and  turning,  until,  at  length,  there  was  a shout  along 
the  lines,  and  on  they  came — heads  stretched  out  and 
eyes  starting ; — working  all  over,  both  man  and  beast. 
The  steeds  came  by  us  like  a couple  of  chain-shot — neck 
and  neck  ; and  now  we  could  see  nothing  but  their  backs, 
and  their  hind  hoofs  flying  in  the  air.  As  fast  as  the 
horses  passed,  the  crowd  broke  up  behind  them,  and  ran 
to  the  goal.  When  we  got  there,  we  found  the  horses  re- 
turning on  a slow  walk,  having  run  far  beyond  the  mark, 
and  heard  that  the  long,  bony  one  had  come  in  head  and 
shoulders  before  the  other.  The  riders  were  light-built 
men  ; had  handkerchiefs  tied  round  their  heads ; and 
were  bare-armed  and  bare-legged.  The  horses  were  nob  e- 
looking  beasts,  not  so  sleek  and  combed  as  our  Boston  stable 
horses,  but  with  fine  limbs  and  spirited  eyes.  After  this, 
had  been  settled,  and  fully  talked  over,  the  crowd  scattered 
again  and  flocked  back  to  the  town. 

Returning  to  the  large  pulperia,  we  found  the  violin 
and  guitar  screaming  and  twanging  away  under  the  piazza, 
where  they  had  been  all  day.  As  it  was  now  sundown, 
there  began  to  be  some  dancing,  The  Italian  sailors 
danced,  and  one  of  our  crew  exhibited  himself  in  a sort  of 
West  Tndia  shuffle,  much  to  the  amusement  of  the  by* 
standers,  who  cried  out,  “ Bravo  ! ” “ Otra  vez  ! ” and 
“ Vivan  los  marineros  ! ” but  the  dancing  did  not  become 


126 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


general,  as  the  women  and  the  “gente  de  razon  ” had  not 
yet  made  their  appearance.  We  wished  very  much  to 
stay  and  see  the  style  of  dancing ; but,  although  we  had 
had  our  own  way  during  the  day,  yet  we  were,  after  all, 
but  'foremast  Jacks  ; and  having  been  ordered  to  be  on 
the  beach  by  sundown,  did  not  venture  to  be  more  than  an 
hour  behind  the  time  ; so  we  took  our  way  down.  We 
found  the  boat  just  pulling  ashore  through  the  breakers, 
which  were  running  high,  there  having  been  a heavy  fog 
outside,  which,  from  some  cause  or  other,  always  brings  on 
or  precedes  a heavy  sea.  Liberty-men  are  privileged  from 
the  time  they  leave  the  vessel  until  they  step  on  board 
again  ; so  we  took  our  places  in  the  stern  sheets,  and  were 
congratulating  ourselves  upon  getting  off  dry,  when  a 
great  comber  broke  fore  and  aft  the  boat,  and  wet  us 
through  and  through,  filling  the  boat  half  full  of  water. 
H aving  lost  her  buoyancy  by  the  weight  of  the  water,  she 
dropped  heavily  into  every  sea  that  struck  her,  and  by  the 
time  we  had  pulled  out  of  the  surf  into  deep  water,  she 
was  but  just  afloat,  and  we  were  up  to  our  knees.  By  the 
help  of  a small  bucket  and  our  hats  we  bailed  her  out, 
got  on  board,  hoisted  the  boat,  eat  our  supper,  changed 
our  clothes,  gave  (as  is  usual)  the  whole  history  of  our 
day's  adventures  to  those  who  had  staid  on  board,  and 
having  taken  a night-smoke,  turned  in.  Thus  ended  our 
second  day’s  liberty  on  shore. 

On  Monday  morning,  as  an  offset  to  our  day’s  sport, 
we  were  all  set  to  work  “ tarring  down  ” the  rigging. 
Some  got  girt-lines  up  for  riding  down  the  stays  and  back- 
stays, and  others  tarred  the  shrouds,  lifts,  etc.,  laying  out 
on  the  yards,  and  coming  down  the  rigging.  We  over- 
hauled our  bags  and  took  out  our  old  tarry  trowsers  and 
frocks,  which  we  had  used  when  we  tarred  down  before, 
and  were  all  at  work  in  the  rigging  by  sunrise.  After 
breakfast,  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  Italian 
ship’s  boat  go  ashore,  filled  with  men,  gaily  dressed,  as  on 
the  day  before,  and  singing  their  barcarollas.  The  Easter 
holidays  are  kept  up  on  shore  during  three  days  ; and 
being  a Catholic  vessel,  the  crew  had  the  advantage  of 
them.  For  two  successive  days,  while  perched  up  in  the 
rigging,  covered  with  tar  and  engaged  in  our  disagreeable 
work,  we  saw  these  fellows  going  ashore  in  the  morning, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


127 


and  coming  off  again  at  night,  in  high  spirits.  So  much 
for  being  Protestants.  There’s  no  danger  of  Catholicism’s 
spreading  in  New  England ; Yankees  can’t  afford  the  time 
to  be  Catholics.  American  ship-masters  get  nearly  three 
weeks  more  labor  out  of  their  crews,  in  the  course  of  a 
year,  than  the  masters  of  vessels  from  Catholic  countries. 
Yankees  don’t  keep  Christmas,  and  ship-masters  at  sea 
never  know  when  Thanksgiving  comes,  so  Jack  has  no  festi- 
val at  all. 

About  noon,-  a man  aloft  called  out  “ Sail  ho  ! ” and 
looking  round,  we  saw  the  head  sails  of  a vessel  coming 
round  the  point.  As  she  drew  round,  she  showed  • the 
broadside  of  a full-rigged  brig,  with  the  Yankee  ensign  at 
her  peak.  We  ran  up  our  stars  and  stripes,  and  knowing 
that  there  was  no  American  brig  on  the  coast  but  our- 
selves, expected  to  have  news  from  home.  She  rounded- 
to  and  let  go  her  anchor,  but  the  dark  faces  on  her  yards, 
when  they  furled  the  sails,  and  the  Babel  on  deck,  soon 
made  known  that  she  was  from  the  Islands.  Immediately 
afterwards,  a boat’s  crew  came  aboard,  bringing  her  skip- 
per, and  from  them  we  learned  that  she  was  from  Oahu, 
and  was  engaged  in  the  same  trade  with  the  Ayacucho, 
Loriotte,  etc.,  between  the  coast,  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
and  the  leeward  coast  of  Peru  and  Chili.  Her  captain 
and  officers  were  Americans,  and  also  a part  of  her  crew ; 
the  rest  were  Islanders.  She  was  called  the  Catalina,  and, 
like  all  the  ether  vessels  in  that  trade,  except  the  Aya- 
cucho, her  papers  and  colors  were  from  Uncle  Sam. 
They,  of  course,  brought  us  no  news,  and  we  were  doubly 
disappointed,  for  we  had  thought,  at  first,  it  might  be  the 
ship  which  we  were  expecting  from  Boston. 

After  lying  here  about  a fortnight,  and  collecting  all 
the  hides  the  place  afforded,  we  set  sail  again  for  San 
Pedro.  There  we  found  the  brig  which  we  had  assisted  in 
getting  off,  lying  at  anchor,  with  a mixed  crew  of  Ameri- 
cans, English,  Sandwich  Islanders,  Spaniards,  and  Spanish 
Indians  ; and  though  much  smaller  than  we,  yet  she  had 
three  times  the  number  of  men  ; and  she  needed  them, 
for  her  officers  were  Californians.  No  vessels  in  the  world 
go  so  poorly  manned  as  American  and  English ; and  none 
do  so  well.  A Yankee  brig  of  that  size  would  have  had  a 
crew  of  four  men,  and  would  have  worked  round  and 


128  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

round  her.  The  Italian  ship  had  a crew  of  thirty  men ; 
nearly  three  times  as  many  as  the  Alert,  which  was  after- 
wards on  the  coast,  and  was  of  the  same  size  ; yet  the 
Alert  would  get  under  weigh  and  come-to  in  half  the  time, 
and  get  two  anchors,  while  they  were  all  talking  at  once — * 
jabbering  like  a parcel  of  “Yahoos,”  and  running  about 
decks  to  find  their  cat-block. 

There  was  only  one  point  in  which  they  had  the 
advantage  over  us,  and  that  was  in  lightening  their  labors 
in  the  boats  by  their  songs.  The  Americans  are  a time 
and  money-saving  people,  but  have  not  yet,  as  a nation, 
learned  that  music  may  be  “ turned  to  account.  We 
pulled  the  long  distances  to  and  from  the  shore,  with  our 
loaded  boats,  without  a word  spoken,  and  with  discon- 
tented looks,  while  they  not  only  lightened  the  labor  of 
rowing,  but  actually  made  it  pleasant  and  cheerful  by  their 
music.  So  true  is  it,  that, — 

u For  the  tired  slave,  song  lifts  the  languid  oar, 

And  bids  it  aptly  fall,  with  chime 
That  beautifies  the  fairest  shore, 

And  mitigates  the  harshest  clime.” 

We  lay  about  a week  in  San  Pedro,  and  got  under  weigh 
for  San  Diego,  intending  to  stop  at  San  Juan,  as  the  south- 
easter season  was  nearly  over,  and  there  was  little  or  no 
danger. 

This  being  the  spring  season,  San  Pedro,  as  well  as  all 
the  other  open  ports  upon  the  coast,  was  filled  with  whales 
that  had  come  in  to  make  their  annual  visit  upon  sound- 
ings. For  the  first  few  days  that  we  were  here  and  at 
Santa  Barbara,  we  watched  them  with  great  interest — call- 
ing out  “ there  she  blows  ! ” every  time  we  saw  the  spout 
of  one,  breaking  the  surface  of  the  water  ; but  they  soon 
became  so  common  that  we  took  little  notice  of  them. 
They  often  “ broke  ” very  near  us  ; and  one  thick,  foggy 
night,  during  a dead  calm,  while  I was  standing  anchor 
watch,  one  of  them  rose  so  near,  that  he  struck  our  cable, 
and  made  all  surge  again.  He  did  not  seem  to  like  the 
encounter  much  himself,  for  he  sheered  off,  and  spouted  at 
a good  distance.  We  once  came  very  near  running  one 
down  in  the  gig,  and  should  probably  have  been  knocked 
to  pieces  and  blown  sky-high.  We  had  been  on  board 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


129 

the  little  Spanish  brig,  and  were  returning,  stretching  out 
well  at  our  oars,  the  little  boat  going  like  a swallow;  our 
backs  were  forward,  (as  is  always  the  case  in  pulling)  and 
the  captain,  who  was  steering,  was  not  looking  ahead,  when, 
all  at  once,  we  heard  the  spout  of  a whale  directly  ahead. 
“ Back  water ! back  water  for  your  lives  ! ” shouted  the 
captain ; and  we  backed  our  blades  in  the  water  and 
brought  the  boat  to  in  a smother  of  foam.  Turning  our 
heads,  we  saw  a great,  rough,  humpbacked  whale,  slowly 
crossing  our  fore  foot,  within  three  or  four  yards  of  the 
boat’s  stem.  Had  we  not  backed  water  just  as  we  did,  we 
should  inevitably  have  gone  to  smash  upon  him,  striking 
him  with  our  stem  just  about  amidship.  He  took  no  notice 
of  us,  but  passed  slowly  on,  and  dived  a few  yards  beyond 
us,  throwing  his  tail  high  in  the  air.  He  was  so  near  that 
we  had  a perfect  view  of  him,  and,  as  may  be  supposed, 
had  no  desire  to  see  him  nearer.  He  was  a disgusting 
creature  ; with  a skin  rough,  hairy,  and  of  an  iron -gray 
color.  This  kind  differs  much  from  the  sperm  in  color 
and  skin,  and  is  said  to  be  fiercer.  We  saw  a few  sperm 
whales  ; but  most  of  the  whales  that  come  upon  the  coast 
are  finbacks,  humpbacks,  and  right-whales,  which  are  more 
difficult  to  take,  and  are  said  not  to  give  oil  enough  to  pay 
for  the  trouble.  For  this  reason,  whale-ships  do  not  come 
upon  the  coast  after  them.  Our  captain,  together  with 
Captain  Nye  of  the  Loriotte,  who  had  been  in  a whale-ship, 
thought  of  making  an  attempt  upon  one  of  them  with  two 
boats’  crews,  but  as  we  had  only  two  harpoons  and  no 
proper  lines,  they  gave  it  up. 

During  the  months  of  March,  April,  and  May,  these 
whales  appear  in  great  numbers  in  the  open  ports  of  Santa 
Barbara,  San  Pedro,  etc.,  and  hover  off  the  coast,  while  a 
few  find  their  way  into  the  close  harbors  of  San  Diego  and 
Monterey.  They  are  all  off  again  before  midsummer,  and 
make  their  appearance  on  the  “ off  shore  ground.”  We 
saw  some  fine  “ schools  ” of  sperm  whales,  which  are  easily 
distinguished  by  their  spout,  blowing  away,  a few  miles  to 
windward,  on  our  passage  to  San  Juan. 

Coasting  along  on  the  quiet  shore  of  the  Pacific,  we 
came  to  anchor,  in  twenty  fathoms’  water,  almost  out  at 
sea,  as  it  were,  and  directly  abreast  of  a steep  hill  which 
overhung  the  water,  and  was  twice  as  high  as  our  royal- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*3° 

masthead.  We  had  heard  much  of  this  place  from  the  La- 
goda’s  crew,  who  said  it  was  the  worst  place  in  California. 
The  shore  is  rocky,  and  directly  exposed  to  the  southeast, 
so  that  vessels  are  obliged  to  slip  and  run  for  their  lives  on 
the  first  sign  of  a gale  ; and  late  as  it  was  in  the  season, 
we  got  up  our  sliprope  and  gear,  though  we  meant  to  stay 
only  twenty-four  hours.  We  pulled  the  agent  ashore,  and 
were  ordered  to  wait  for  him,  while  he  took  a circuitous 
way  round  the  hill  to  the  mission,  which  was  hidden  behind 
it.  We  were  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  examine  this  sin- 
gular place,  and  hauling  the  boat  up  and  making  her  well 
fast,  took  different  directions  up  and  down  the  beach,  to 
explore  it. 

San  Juan  is  the  only  romantic  spot  in  California.  The 
country  here  for  several  miles  is  high  table-land,  running 
boldly  to  the  shore,  and  breaking  off  in  a steep  hill,  at  the 
foot  of  which  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  are  constantly  dash- 
ing. For  several  miles  the  water  washes  the  very  base  of 
the  hill,  or  breaks  upon  ledges  and  fragments  of  rocks 
which  run  out  into  the  sea.  Just  where  we  landed  was  a 
small  cove,  or  “ bight,”  which  gave  us,  at  high  tide,  a few 
square  feet  of  sand  beach  between  the  sea  and  the  bottom 
of  the  hill.  This  was  the  only  landing-place.  Directly  be- 
fore us,  rose  the  perpendicular  height  of  four  or  five  hun- 
dred feet.  How  we  were  to  get  hides  down,  or  goods  up, 
upon  the  table-land  on  which  the  mission  was  situated,  was 
more  than  we  could  tell.  The  agent  had  taken  a long  cir- 
cuit, and  yet  had  frequently  to  jump  over  breaks,  and  climb 
up  steep  places,  in  the  ascent.  No  animal  but  a man  or  a 
monkey  could  get  up  it.  However,  that  was  not  our  look- 
out ; and  knowing  that  the  agent  would  be  gone  an  hour 
or  more,  we  strolled  about,  picking  up  shells,  and  following 
the  sea  where  it  tumbled  in,  roaring  and  spouting  among 
the  crevices  of  the  great  rocks.  What  a sight,  thought  I, 
must  this  be  in  a southeaster  ! The  rocks  were  as  large  as 
thclse  of  Nahant  or  Newport,  but,  to  my  eye,  more  grand  and 
broken.  Besides  there  was  a grandeur  in  everything  around, 
which  gave  almost  a solemnity  to  the  scene : a silence  and 
solitariness  which  affected  everything  ! Not  a human  being 
but  ourselves  for  miles ; and  no  sound  heard  but  the  pub 
* sation  of  the  great  Pacific ! and  the  great  steep  hill  rising 
Kke  a wall,  and  cutting  us  off  from  all  the  world,  but  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*3* 

u world  of  waters  ! ” I separated  myself  from  the  rest,  and 
sat  down  on  a rock,  just  where  the  sea  ran  in  and  formed 
a fine  spouting  horn.  Compared  with  the  plain  dull  sand 
beach  of  the  rest  of  the  coast,  this  grandeur  was  as  refresh- 
ing as  a great  rock  in  a weary  land.  It  was  almost  the 
first  time  that  I had  been  positively  alone — free  from  the 
sense  that  human  beings  were  at  my  elbow,  if  not  talking 
with  me — since  I had  left  home.  My  better  nature  re- 
turned strong  upon  me.  Everything  was  in  accordance 
with  my  state  of  feeling,  and  I experienced  a glow  of  pleas- 
ure at  finding  that  what  of  poetry  and  romance  I ever  had 
in  me,  had  not  been  entirely  deadened  by  the  laborious 
and  frittering  life  I had  led.  Nearly  an  hour  did  I sit, 
almost  lost  in  the  luxury  of  this  entire  new  scene  of  the 
play  in  which  I had  been  so  long  acting,  when  I was  arous- 
ed by  the  distant  shouts  of  my  companions,  and  saw  that 
they  were  collecting  together,  as  the  agent  had  made  his 
appearance,  on  his  way  back  to  our  boat. 

We  pulled  aboard,  and  found  the  long-boat  hoisted  out, 
and  nearly  laden  with  goods  ; and  after  dinner,  we  all 
went  on  shore  in  the  quarter-boat,  with  the  long-boat  in 
tow.  As  we  drew  in,  we  found  an  ox-cart  and  a couple  of 
men  standing  directly  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  ; and  having 
landed,  the  captain  took  his  way  round  the  hill,  ordering 
me  and  one  other  to  follow  him.  We  followed,  picking 
our  way  out,  and  jumping  and  scrambling  up,  walking  over 
briers,  and  prickly  pears,  until  we  came  to  the  top.  Here 
the  country  stretched  out  for  miles,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  on  a level,  table  surface  ; and  the  only  habitation 
in  sight  was  the  small  white  mission  of  San  Juan  Cam- 
pestrano,  with  a few  Indian  huts  about  it,  standing  in  a 
small  hollow,  about  a mile  from  where  we  were.  Reach- 
ing the  brow  of  the  hill  where  the  cart  stood,  we  found 
several  piles  of  hides,  and  Indians  sitting  round  them. 
One  or  two  other  carts  were  coming  slowly  on  from  the 
mission,  and  the  captain  told  us  to  begin  and  throw  the 
hides  down  : This,  then,  was  the  way  they  were  to  be 
got  down  : thrown  down,  one  at  a time,  a distance  of  four 
hundred  feet  ! This  was  doing  the  business  on  a great 
scale.  Standing  on  the  edge  of  the  hill  and  looking  down 
the  perpendicular  height,  the  sailors. 


i3* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


“ That  walked  upon  the  beach, 

Appeared  like  mice  ; and  our  tall  anchoring  bark 
Diminished  to  her  cock  ; her  cock  a buoy 
Almost  too  small  for  sight.” 

Down  this  height  we  pitched  the  hides,  throwing  them 
as  far  out  into  the  air  as  we  could  ; and  as  they  were  all 
large,  stiff,  and  doubled,  like  the  cover  of  a book,  the  wind 
took  them,  and  they  swayed  and  eddied  about,  plunging  and 
rising  in  the  air,  like  a kite  when  it  has  broken  its  string. 
As  it  was  now  low  tide,  there  was  no  danger  of  their  falling 
into  the  water,  and  as  fast  as  they  came  to  ground,  the 
men  below  picked  them  up,  and  taking  them  on  then- 
heads,  walked  off  with  them  to  the  boat.  It  was  really  a 
picturesque  sight  ; the  great  height  ; the  scaling  of  the 
hides  ; and  the  continual  walking  to  and  fro  of  the  men, 
who  looked  liked  mites,  on  the  beach  1 This  was  the 
romance  of  hide-droghing  ! 

Some  of  the  hides  lodged  in  cavities  which  were  under 
the  bank  and  out  of  our  sight,  being  directly  under  us  ; 
but  by  sending  others  down  in  the  same  direction,  we 
succeeded  in  dislodging  them.  Had  they  remained  there, 
the  captain  said  he  should  have  sent  on  board  for  a couple 
of  pair  of  long  halyards,  and  got  some  one  to  have  gone 
down  for  them.  It  was  said  that  one  of  the  crew  of  an 
English  brig  went  down  in  the  same  way,  a few  years 
before.  We  looked  over,  and  thought  it  would  not  be  a 
welcome  task,  especially  for  a few  paltry  hides  ; but  no 
one  knows  what  he  can  do  until  he  is  called  upon  ; for,  six 
months  afterwards,  I went  down  the  same  place  by  a pair 
of  top-gallant  studding-sail  halyards,  to  save  a half  a dozen 
hides  which  had  lodged  there. 

Having  thrown  them  all  down  we  took  our  way  back 
again,  and  found  the  boat  loaded  and  ready  to  start.  We 
pulled  off  ; took  the  hides  all  aboard  ; hoisted  in  the  boats  ; 
hove  up  our  anchor  ; made  sail  ; and  before  sundown, 
were  on  our  way  to  San  Diego. 

. Friday,  May  1835.  Arrived  at  San  Diego.  Here 
we  found  the  little  harbor  deserted.  The  Lagoda, 
Ayacucho,  Loriotte,  and  all,  had  left  the  coast,  and  we 
were  nearly  alone.  All  the  hide-houses  on  the  beach,  but 
ours,  were  shut  up,  and  the  Sandwich  Islanders,  a dozen 
or  twenty  in  number,  who  had  worked  for  the  other  vessels 


TIVO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


133 


and  been  paid  off  when  they  sailed,  were  living  on  the 
beach,  keeping  up  a grand  carnival.  A Russian  discovery- 
ship,  which  had  been  in  this  port  a few  years  before,  had 
built  a large  oven  for  baking  bread,  and  went  away,  leav- 
ing it  standing.  This,  the  Sandwich  Islanders  took  pos- 
session of,  and  had  kept,  ever  since,  undisturbed.  It  was 
big  enough  to  hold  six  or  eight  men-— that  is,  it  was  as 
large  as  a ship’s  forecastle  ; had  a door  at  the  side,  and  a 
vent-hole  at  top.  They  covered  it  with  Oahu  mats,  for  a 
carpet  ; stopped  up  the  venthole  in  bad  weather,  and  made 
it  their  headquarters.  It  was  now  inhabited  by  as  many  as 
a dozen  or  twenty  men,  who  lived  there  in  complete  idle- 
ness— drinking,  playing  cards,  and  carousing  in  every 
way.  They  bought  a bullock  once  a week,  which  kept 
them  in  meat,  and  one  of  them  went  up  to  the  town  every 
day  to  get  fruit,  liquor,  and  provisions.  Besides  this,  they 
had  bought  a cask  of  ship-bread,  and  a barrel  of  flour  from 
the  Lagoda  before  she  sailed.  There  they  lived,  having  a 

grand  time,  and  caring  for  nobody.  Captain  T was 

anxious  to  get  three  or  four  of  them  to  come  on  board  the 
Pilgrim,  as  we  were  so  much  diminished  in  numbers  ; and 
went  up  to  the  oven,  and  spent  an  hour  or  two  trying  to 
negotiate  with  them.  One  of  them, — a finely  built,  active, 
strong  and  intelligent  fellow, — who  was  a sort  of  king 
among  them,  acted  as  spokesman.  He  was  called  Mannini, 
— or  rather,  out  of  compliment  to  his  known  importance 
and  influence,  Mr.  Mannini,— and  was  known  all  over 
California.  Through  him,  the  captain  offered  them  fifteen 
dollars  a month,  and  one  month’s  pay  in  advance  ; but  it 
was  like  throwing  pearls  before  swine,  or,  rather,  carrying 
coals  to  Newcastle.  So  long  as  they  had  money,  they 
would  not  work  for  fifty  dollars  a month,  and  when  their 
money  was  gone,  they  would  work  for  ten. 

“ What  do  you  do  here,  Mr.  Mannini  ? ” * said  the 
captain. 

“ Oh,  we  play  cards,  get  drunk,  smoke — do  anything 
we  ’re  a mind  to.” 

“ Don’t  you  want  to  come  aboard  and  work  ? ” 

u Aole  ! aolc  make  make  makou  i ka  hana.  Now  got 
plenty  money  ; no  good,  work.  M amide,  money  pan — all 

* The  letter  i in  the  Sandwich  Island  language  is  sounded  like  € in 
the  English. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TEE  MAST. 


134 

gone.  Ah  ! very  good,  work  ! — maikai , hana  hana  nut  ! * 

“ But  you  ’ll  spend  all  your  money  in  this  way,”  said 
the  captain. 

“ Aye  ! me  know  that.  By-’em-by  money pau — all  gone  ; 
then  Kanaka  work  plenty.” 

This  was  a hopeless  case,  and  the  captain  left  them,  to 
wait  patiently  until  their  money  was  gone. 

We  discharged  our  hides  and  tallow,  and  in  about  a 
week  were  ready  to  set  sail  again  for  the  windward.  We 
unmoored,  and  got  everything  ready,  when  the  captain 
made  another  attempt  upon  the  oven.  This  time  he  had 
more  regard  to  the  “ mollia  tempora  fandi,”  and  succeeded 
very  well.  He  got  Mr.  Mannini  in  his  interest,  and  as 
the  shot  was  getting  low  in  the  locker,  prevailed  upon  him 
and  three  others  to  come  on  board  with  their  chests  and 
baggage,  and  sent  a hasty  summons  to  me  and  the  boy  to 
come  ashore  with  our  things,  and  join  the  gang  at  the  hide- 
house.  This  was  unexpected  to  me ; but  anything  in  the 
way  of  variety  I liked ; so  we  got  ready,  and  were  pulled 
ashore.  I stood  on  the  beach  while  the  brig  got  under 
weigh,  and  watched  her  until  she  rounded  the  point,  and 
then  went  up  to  the  hide-house  to  take  up  my  quarters  for 
a few  months. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Here  was  a change  in  my  life  as  complete  as  it  had 
been  sudden.  In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  I was  trans- 
formed from  a sailor  into  a “ beach-comber  ” and  a hide- 
curer ; yet  the  novelty  and  the  comparative  independence 
of  the  life  were  not  unpleasant.  Our  hide-house  was  a 
large  building,  made  of  rough  boards,  and  intended  to 
hold  forty  thousand  hides.  In  one  corner  of  it,  a small 
room  was  parted  off,  in  which  four  berths  were  made, 
where  we  were  to  live,  with  mother  earth  for  our  floor.  It 
contained  a table,  a small  locker  for  pots,  spoons,  plates, 
etc.,  and  a small  hole  cut  to  let  in  the  light.  Here  we  put 
our  chests,  threw  our  bedding  into  the  berths,  and  took  up 
our  quarters.  Over  our  head  was  another  small  room,  in 
which  Mr.  Russell  lived,  who  had  charge  of  the  hide- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


135 


house  ; the  same  man  who  was  for  a time  an  officer  of  the 
Pilgrim.  There  he  lived  in  solitary  grandeur  ; eating  and 
sleeping  alone  (and  these  were  his  principal  occupations,) 
and  communing  with  his  own  dignity.  The  boy  was  to  act 
as  cook;  while  myself,  a giant  of  a Frenchman  named 
Nicholas,  and  four  Sandwich  Islanders,  were  to  cure  the 
hides.  Sam,  the  Frenchman,  and  myself,  lived  together  in 
the  room,  and  the  four  Sandwich  Islanders  worked  and 
ate  with  us,  but  generally  slept  at  the  oven.  My  new 
messmate,  Nicholas,  was  the  most  immense  man  that  I 
had  ever  seen  in  my  life.  He  came  on  the  coast  in  a vessel 
which  was  afterwards  wrecked,  and  now  let  himself  out  to 
the  different  houses  to  cure  hides.  He  was  considerably 
over  six  feet,  and  of  a frame  so  large  that  he  might  have 
been  shown  for  a curiosity.  But  the  most  remarkable 
thing  about  him  was  his  feet.  They  were  so  large  that  he 
could  not  find  a pair  of  shoes  in  California  to  fit  him,  and 
was  obliged  to  send  to  Oahu  for  a pair;  and  when  he  got 
them,  he  was  compelled  to  wear  them  down  at  the  heel. 
He  told  me  once,  himself,  that  he  was  wrecked  in  an 
American  brig  on  the  Goodwin  Sands,  and  was  sent  up  to 
London,  to  the  charge  of  the  American  consul,  without 
clothing  to  his  back  or  shoes  to  his  feet,  and  was  obliged 
to  go  about  London  streets  in  his  stocking-feet  three  or 
four  days  in  the  month  of  January,  until  the  consul  could 
have  a pair  of  shoes  made fo /*  him . His  strength  was  in 
proportion  to  his  size,  and  his  ignorance  to  his  strength — 
“ strong  as  an  ox,  and  ignorant  as  strong.”  He  neither 
knew  how  to  read  nor  to  write.  He  had  been  to  sea  from 
a boy,  and  had  seen  all  kinds  of  service,  and  been  in  every 
kind  of  vessels  : merchantmen,  men-of-war,  privateers,  and 
slavers ; and  from  what  I could  gather  from  his  accounts  of 
himself,  and  from  what  he  once  told  me,  in  confidence,  after 
we  had  become  better  acquainted,  he  had  even  been  in 
worse  business  than  slave-trading.  He  was  once  tried  for 
his  life  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  and  though  ac- 
quitted, yet  he  was  so  frightened  that  he  never  would 
show  himself  in  the  United  States  again  ; and  I could  not 
persuade  him  that  he  could  never  be  tried  a second  time 
for  the  same  offence.  He  said  he  had  got  safe  off  from 
the  breakers,  and  was  too  good  a sailor  to  risk  his  timbers 
again. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


136 

Though  I knew  what  his  life  had  been,  yet  I never  had 
the  slightest  fear  of  him.  We  always  got  along  very  well 
together,  and,  though  so  much  stronger  and  larger  than  I, 
he  showed  a respect  for  my  education,  and  for  what  he 
had  heard  of  my  situation  before  coming  to  sea.  “ I’ll  be 
good  friends  with  you,”  he  used  to  say,  “ for  bv-and-by 
you’ll  come  out  here  captain,  and  then  you’ll  haze  me 
well ! ” By  holding  well  together,  we  kept  the  officer 
in  good  order,  for  he  was  evidently  afraid  of  Nicholas, 
and  never  ordered  us,  except  when  employed  upon  the 
hides.  My  other  companions,  the  Sandwich  Islanders, 
deserve  particular  notice. 

A considerable  trade  has  been  carried  on  for  several 
years  between  California  and  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and 
most  of  the  vessels  are  manned  with  Islanders  ; who,  as 
they,  for  the  most  part,  sign  no  articles,  leave  whenever 
they  choose,  and  let  themselves  out  to  cure  hides  at  San 
Diego,  and  to  supply  the  places  of  the  men  of  the  Ameri- 
can vessels  while  on  the  coast.  In  this  way  quite  a colony 
of  them  had  become  settled  at  San  Diego,  as  their  head 
quarters.  Some  of  these  had  recently  gone  off  in  the 
Ayacucho  and  Loriotte,  and  the  Pilgrim  had  taken  Mr. 
Mannini  aad  three  others,  so  that  there  were  not  more 
than  twenty  left,  Of  these,  four  were  on  pay  at  the  Aya- 
cucho’s  house,  four  more  working  with  us,  and  the  rest 
were  living  at  the  oven  in  a quiet  way ; for  their  money 
was  nearly  gone,  and  they  must  make  it  last  until  some 
other  vessel  came  down  to  employ  them. 

During  the  four  months  that  I lived  here,  I got  well 
acquainted  with  all  of  them,  and  took  the  greatest  pains 
to  become  familiar  with  their  language,  habits,  and  char- 
acters. Their  language  I could  only  learn  orally,  for  they 
had  not  any  books  among  them,  though  many  of  them  had 
been  taught  to  read  and  write  by  the  missionaries  at  home. 
They  spoke  a little  English,  and  by  a sort  of  compromise, 
a mixed  language  was  used  on  the  beach,  which  could  be 
understood  by  all.  The  long  name  of  Sandwich  Islanders 
is  dropped,  and  they  are  called  by  the  whites,  all  over  the 
Pacific  ocean,  “ Kanakas,”  from  a word  in  their  own 
language  which  they  apply  to  themselves,  and  to  all 
South  Sea  Islanders,  in  distinction  from  whites,  whom 
they  call  “ Haole.”  This  name  “ Kanaka,”  they  answer 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*37 


to,  both  collectively  and  individually.  Their  propel  names, 
in  their  own  language,  being  difficult  to  pronounce  and  re- 
member, they  are  called  by  any  names  which  the  captains 
or  crews  may  choose  to  give  them.  Some  are  called  after 
the  vessels  they  are  in ; others  by  common  names,  as 
Jack,  Tom,  Bill;  and  some  have  fancy  names,  as  Ban-yan, 
Fore-top,  Rope-yarn,  Pelican,  etc.,  etc.  Of  the  four  who 
worked  at  our  house,  one  was  named  “ Mr.  Bingham,” 
after  the  missionary  at  Oahu ; another,  Hope,  after  a ves- 
sel that  he  had  been  in  ; a third,  Tom  Davis,  the  name  of 
his  first  captain ; and  the  fourth,  Pelican,  from  his  fancied 
resemblance  to  that  bird.  Then  there  was  Lagoda-Jack, 
California-Bill,  etc.,  etc.  But  by  whatever  names  they 
might  be  called,  they  were  the  most  interesting,  intelligent 
and  kind-hearted  people  that  I ever  fell  in  with.  I felt  a 
positive  attachment  for  almost  all  of  them ; and  many  of 
them  I have,  to  this  time,  a feeling  for,  which  would  lead 
me  to  go  a great  way  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  seeing  them, 
and  which  will  always  make  me  feel  a strong  interest  in 
the  mere  name  of  a Sandwich  Islander. 

Tom  Davis  knew  how  to  read,  write  and  cipher  in  com- 
mon arithmetic ; had  been  to  the  United  States,  and 
spoke  English  quite  well.  His  education  was  as  good  as 
that  of  three-quarters  of  the  Yankees  in  California,  and 
his  manners  and  principles  a good  deal  better,  and  he  was 
so  quick  of  apprehension  that  he  might  have  been  taught 
navigation,  and  the  elements  of  many  of  the  sciences,  with 
the  most  perfect  ease.  Old  “ Mr.  Bingham  ” spoke  very 
little  English — almost  none,  and  neither  knew  how  to  read 
nor  write  ; but  he  was  the  best-hearted  old  fellow  in  the 
world.  He  must  have  been  over  fifty  years  of  age,  and 
had  two  of  his  front  teeth  knocked  out,  which  was  done  by 
his  parents  as  a sign  of  grief  at  the  death  of  Tamahamaha, 
the  great  king  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  We  used  to  tell 
him  that  he  ate  Captain  Cook,  and  lost  his  teeth  in  that 
way.  That  was  the  only  thing  that  ever  made  him  angry. 
He  would  always  be  quite  excited  at  that ; and  say — 
“ Aole /”  (no.)  “Me  no  eat  Captain  Cook  ! Me  pikinini 
— small — so  high— no  more  ! My  father  see  Captain 
Cook ! Me — no  ! ” None  of  them  liked  to  have  any- 
thing said  about  Captain  Cook,  for  the  sailors  all  believe 
that  he  was  eaten,  and  that,  they  cannot  endure  to  be 


138  TWO  years  before  the  mast. 

taunted  with. — u New  Zealand  Kanaka  eat  white  man 
Sandwich  Island  Kanaka, — no.  Sandwich  Island  Kanaka 
ua  like pu  na  haole — all  ’e  same  a’  you  ! ” 

Mr.  Bingham  was  a sort  of  patriarch  among  them,  and 
was  always  treated  with  great  respect,  though  he  had  not 
the  education  and  energy  which  gave  Mr.  Mannini  his 
power  over  them.  I have  spent  hours  in  talking  with  this 
old  fellow  about  Tamahamaha,  the  Charlemagne  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands  ; his  son  and  successor  Riho  Riho,  who 
died  in  England,  and  was  brought  to  Oahu  in  the  frigate 
Blonde,  Captain  Lord  Byron,  and  whose  funeral  he  re- 
membered perfectly  ; and  also  about  the  customs  of  his 
country  in  his  boyhood,  and  the  changes  which  had  been 
made  by  the  missionaries.  He  never  would  allow  that 
human  beings  had  been  eaten  there ; and,  indeed,  it 
always  seemed  like  an  insult  to  tell  so  affectionate,  intelli- 
gent, and  civilized  a class  of  men,  that  such  barbarities 
had  been  practised  in  their  own  country  within  the 
recollection  of  many  of  them.  Certainly,  the  history  of  no 
people  on  the  globe  can  show  anything  like  so  rapid  an 
advance.  I would  have  trusted  my  life  and  my  fortune  in 
the  hands  of  any  one  of  these  people  ; and  certainly,  had 
I wished  for  a favor  or  act  of  sacrifice,  I would  have  gone 
to  them  all,  in  turn,  before  I should  have  applied  to  one 
of  my  own  countrymen  on  the  coast,  and  should  have 
expected  to  have  seen  it  done,  before  my  own  countrymen 
had  got  half  through  counting  the  cost.  Their  customs, 
and  manner  of  treating  one  another,  show  a simple,  primi- 
tive generosity,  which  is  truly  delightful ; and  which  is 
often  a reproach  to  our  own  people.  Whatever  one  has, 
they  all  have.  Money,  food,  clothes,  they  share  with  one 
another ; even  to  the  last  piece  of  tobacco  to  put  in  their 
pipes.  I once  heard  old  Mr.  Bingham  say,  with  the  high- 
est indignation,  to  a Yankee  trader  who  was  trying  to  per- 
suade him  to  keep  his  money  to  himself — “ No  ! We  no 
all  ’e  same  a'  you ! — Suppose  one  got  money,  all  got 
money.  You  ; — suppose  one  got  money — lock  him  up  in 
chest. — No  good  ! — Kanaka  all  ’e  same  a ’ one  ! ” This 
principle  they  carry  so  far,  that  none  of  them  will  eat  any- 
thing in  sight  of  others,  without  offering  it  all  round.  I 
have  seen  one  of  them  break  a biscuit,  which  had  been 
giver,  him,  into  five  parts,  at  a time  when  I knew  he  was 


TTTO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


*39 

on  a very  short  allowance,  as  there  was  but  little  to  eat  on 
the  beach. 

My  favorite  among  all  of  them,  and  one  who  was  liked 
by  both  officers  and  men,  and  by  whomever  he  had  any- 
thing to  do  with,  was  Hope.  He  was  an  intelligent,  kind- 
hearted  little  fellow,  and  I never  saw  him  angry,  though  I 
knew  him  for  more  than  a year,  and  have  seen  him  impos- 
ed upon  by  white  people,  and  abused  by  insolent  officers 
of  vessels.  He  was  always  civil,  and  always  ready,  and 
never  forgot  a benefit.  I once  took  care  of  him  when  he 
was  ill,  getting  medicines  from  the  ship's  chests,  when  no 
captain  or  officer  would  do  anything  for  him,  and  he  never 
forgot  it.  Every  Kanaka  has  one  particular  friend,  whom 
he  considers  himself  bound  to  do  everything  for,  and  with 
whom  he  has  a sort  of  contract, — an  alliance  offensive  and 
defensive, — and  for  whom  he  will  often  make  the  greatest 
sacrifices.  This  friend  they  call  aikane;  and  for  such,  did 
Hope  adopt  me.  I do  not  believe  I could  have  wanted 
anything  which  he  had,  that  he  would  not  have  given  me. 
In  return  for  this  I was  always  his  friend  among  the 
Americans,  and  used  to  teach  him  letters  and  numbers ; 
for  he  left  home  before  he  had  learned  how  to  read.  He 
was  very  curious  about  Boston  (as  they  call  the  United 
States) ; asking  many  questions  about  the  houses,  the 
people,  etc.,  and  always  wished  to  have  the  pictures  in 
books  explained  to  him.  They  were  all  astonishingly  quick 
in  catching  at  explanations,  and  many  things  which  I had 
thought  it  utterly  impossible  to  make  them  understand, 
they  often  seized  in  an  instant,  and  asked  questions 
which  showed  that  they  knew  enough  to  make  them  wish 
to  go  farther.  The  pictures  of  steamboats  and  railroad 
cars,  in  the  columns  of  some  newspapers  which  I had, 
gave  me  great  difficulty  to  explain.  The  grading  of  the 
road,  the  rails,  the  construction  of  the  carriages,  they 
could  easily  understand,  but  the  motion  produced  by 
steam  was  a little  too  refined  for  them.  I attempted  to 
show  it  to  them  once  by  an  experiment  upon  the  cook’s 
coppers,  but  failed ; probably  as  much  from  my  own  igno- 
rance as  from  their  want  of  apprehension  ; and,  I have  no 
doubt,  left  them  with  about  as  clear  an  idea  of  the 
principle  as  I had  myself.  This  difficulty,  of  course,  ex- 
isted in  the  same  force  with  the  steamboats ; and  all  I 


140 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


could  do  was  to  give  them  some  account  of  the  results,  in 
the  shape  of  speed ; for,  failing  in  the  reason,  I had  to  fall 
back  upon  the  fact  In  my  account  of  the  speed,  I was 
supported  by  Tom,  who  had  been  to  Nantucket,  and  seen 
a little  steamboat  which  ran  over  to  New  Bedford. 

A map  of  the  world,  which  I once  showed  them,  kept 
their  attention  for  hours ; those  who  knew  how  to  read 
pointing  out  the  places  and  referring  to  me  for  the  distances. 
I remember  being  much  amused  with  a question  which 
Hope  asked  me.  Pointing  to  the  large  irregular  place 
which  is  always  left  blank  round  the  poles,  to  denote  that 
it  is  undiscovered,  he  looked  up  and  asked — “ Pau?” 
(Done  ? ended  ?) 

The  system  of  naming  the  streets  and  numbering  the 
houses,  they  easily  understood,  and  the  utility  of  it. 
They  had  a great  desire  to  see  America,  but  where  afraid 
of  doubling  Cape  Horn,  for  they  suffer  much  in  cold  weath- 
er, and  had  heard  dreadful  accounts  of  the  Cape,  from 
those  of  their  number  who  had  been  round  it 

They  smoke  a great  deal,  though  not  much  at  a time ; 
using  pipes  with  large  bowls,  and  very  short  stems,  or  no 
stems  at  all.  These,  they  light,  and  putting  them  to 
their  mouths,  take  a long  draught,  getting  their  mouths  as 
full  as  they  can  hold,  and  their  cheeks  distended,  and  then 
let  it  slowly  out  through  their  mouths  and  nostrils.  The 
pipe  is  then  passed  to  others,  who  draw,  in  the  same  man- 
ner, one  pipe-full  serving  for  a half  a dozen.  They  never 
take  short,  continuous  draughts,  like  Europeans,  but  one 
of  these  “ Oahu  puffs,”  as  the  sailors  call  them,  serves  for 
an  hour  or  two,  until  some  one  else  lights  his  pipe,  and  it 
is  passed  round  in  the  same  manner.  Each  Kanaka  on  the 
beach  had  a pipe,  flint,  steel,  tinder,  a hand  of  tobacco, 
and  a jack-knife,  which  he  always  carried  about  with  him. 

That  which  strikes  a stranger  most  peculiarly  is  their 
style  of  singing.  They  run  on,  in  a low,  guttural,  monot- 
onous sort  of  chant,  their  lips  and  tongues  seeming  hardly 
to  move,  and  the  sounds  apparently  modulated  solely  in 
the  throat.  There  is  very  little  tune  to  it,  and  the  words, 
so  far  as  I could  learn,  are  extempore.  They  sing  about 
persons  and  things  which  are  around  them,  and  adopt  this 
method  when  they  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  by  any 
but  themselves ; and  it  is  very  effectual,  for  with  the  most 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


Hi 


careful  attention  I never  could  detect  a word  that  I knew. 
I have  often  heard  Mr.  Mannini,  who  was  the  most  noted 
improvisato7*c  among  them,  sing  for  an  hour  together, 
when  at  work  in  the  midst  of  Americans  and  Englishmen  ; 
and,  by  the  occasional  shouts  and  laughter  of  the  Kanakas, 
who  were  at  a distance,  it  was  evident  that  he  was  singing 
about  the  different  men  that  he  was  at  work  with.  They 
have  great  powers  of  ridicule,  and  are  excellent  mimics ; 
many  of  them  discovering  and  imitating  the  peculiarities  of 
our  own  people,  before  we  had  seen  them  ourselves. 

These  were  the  people  with  whom  I was  to  spend  a few 
months  ; and  who,  with  the  exception  of  the  officer, 
Nicholas  the  Frenchman,  and  the  boy,  made  the  whole 
population  of  the  beach.  I ought,  perhaps,  to  except  the 
dogs,  for  they  were  an  important  part  of  our  settlement. 
Some  of  the  first  vessels  brought  dogs  out  with  them,  who, 
for  convenience,  were  left  ashore,  and  there  multiplied, 
until  they  came  to  be  a great  people.  While  I was  on  the 
beach,  the  average  number  was  about  forty,  and  probably 
an  equal,  or  greater  number  are  drowned,  or  killed  in 
some  other  way,  every  year.  They  are  very  useful  in  guard- 
ing the  beach,  the  Indians  being  afraid  to  come  down  at 
night ; for  it  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  get  within  half 
a mile  of  the  hide-houses  without  a general  alarm.  The 
father  of  the  colony,  old  Sachem,  so  called  from  the  ship 
in  which  he  was  brought  out,  died  while  I was  there,  full 
of  years,  and  was  honorably  buried.  Hogs,  and  a few 
chickens,  were  the  rest  of  the  animal  tribe,  and  formed, 
like  the  dogs,  a common  company,  though  they  were 
all  known  and  marked,  and  usually  fed  at  the  houses  to 
which  .they  belonged. 

I had  been  but  a few  hours  on  the  beach,  and  the  Pilgrim 
was  hardly  out  of  sight,  when  the  cry  of  “ Sail  ho  ! ” was 
raised,  and  a small  hermaphrodite  brig  rounded  the  point, 
bore  up  into  the  harbor,  and  came  to  anchor.  It  was  the 
Mexican  brig  Fazio,  which  we  had  left  at  San  Pedro,  and 
which  had  come  down  to  land  her  tallow,  try  it  all  over, 
and  make  new  bags,  and  then  take  it  in,  and  leave  the 
coast.  They  moored  ship,  erected  their  try-works  on 
shore,  put  up  a small  tent,  in  which  they  all  lived,  and 
commenced  operations.  Th'ey  made  an  addition  to  our 
society , and  we  spent  many  evenings  in  their  tent,  where, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


142 

amid  the  Babel  of  English,  Spanish,  French,  Indian,  and 
Kanaka,  we  found  some  words  that  we  could  understand 
in  common. 

The  morning  after  my  landing,  I began  the  duties  of 
hide-curing.  In  order  to  understand  these,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  give  the  whole  history  of  a hide,  from  the 
time  it  is  taken  from  a bullock  until  it  is  put  on  board  the 
vessel  to  be  carried  to  Boston.  When  the  hide  is  taken 
from  the  bullock,  holes  are  cut  round  it,  near  the  edge,  by 
which  it  is  staked  out  to  dry.  In  this  manner  it  dries 
without  shrinking.  After  they  are  thus  dried  in  the  sun, 
they  are  received  by  the  vessels,  and  brought  down  to  the 
depot.  The  vessels  land  them,  and  leave  them  in  large 
piles  near  the  houses.  Then  begins  the  hide-curer’s  duty. 
The  first  thing  is  to  put  them  in  soak.  This  is  done  by 
carrying  them  down  at  low  tide,  and  making  them  fast, 
in  small  piles,  by  ropes,  and  letting  the  tide  come  up  and 
cover  them.  Every  day  we  put  in  soak  twenty-five  for  each 
man,  which,  with  us,  made  an  hundred  and  fifty.  There 
they  lie  forty-eight  hours,  when  they  are  taken  out,  and 
rolled  up,  in  wheel-barrows,  and  thrown  into  the  vats. 
These  vats  contain  brine,  made  very  strong  ; being  sea- 
water, with  great  quantities  of  salt  thrown  in.  This 
pickles  the  hides,  and  in  this  they  he  forty-eight  hours  , 
the  use  of  the  sea-water,  into  which  they  are  first  put,  be- 
ing merely  to  soften  and  clean  them.  From  these  vats, 
they  are  taken,  and  lie  on  a platform  twenty-four  hours, 
and  then  are  spread  upon  the  ground,  and  carefully 
stretched  and  staked  out,  so  that  they  may  dry  smooth. 
After  they  were  staked,  and  while  yet  wet  and  soft,  we 
used  to  go  upon  them  with  our  knives,  and  carefully  cut 
off  all  the  bad  parts  : — the  pieces  of  meat  and  fat,  which 
would  corrupt  and  infect  the  whole  if  stowed  away  in  a 
vessel  for  many  months,  the  large  flippers , the  ears,  and 
all  other  parts  which  would  prevent  close  stowage.  This 
was  the  most  difficult  part  of  our  duty ; as  it  required 
much  skill  to  take  everything  necessary  off  and  not  to  cut 
or  injure  the  hide.  It  was  also  a long  process,  as  six  of 
us  had  to  clean  an  hundred  and  fifty,  most  of  which  re- 
quired a great  deal  to  be  done  to  them,  as  the  Spaniards 
are  very  careless  in  skinning  their  cattle.  Then,  too,  as 
we  cleaned  them  while  they  were  staked  out,  we  were 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


143 


obliged  to  kneel  down  upon  them,  which  always  gives  be- 
ginners the  back-ache.  The  first  day,  I was  so  slow  and 
awkward  that  I cleaned  only  eight ; at  the  end  of  a few 
days  I doubled  my  number ; and  in  a fortnight  or  three 
weeks,  could  keep  up  with  others,  and  clean  my  propor- 
tion— twenty-five. 

This  cleaning  must  be  got  through  with  before  noon  ; 
for  by  that  time  they  get  too  dry.  After  the  sun  has  been 
upon  them  a few  hours,  they  are  carefully  gone  over  with 
scrapers,  to  get  off  all  the  grease  which  the  sun  brings  out. 
This  being  done,  the  stakes  are  pulled  up,  and  the  hides 
carefully  doubled,  with  the  hair  side  out,  and  left  to  dry. 
About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  they  are  turned  upon 
the  other  side,  and  at  sundown  piled  up  and  covered  over. 
The  next  day  they  are  spread  out  and  opened  again,  and 
at  night,  if  fully  dry,  are  thrown  upon  a long,  horizontal 
pole,  five  at  a time,  and  beat  with  flails.  This  takes  all 
the  dust  from  them.  Then,  being  salted,  scraped,  cleaned, 
dried,  and  beaten,  they  are  stowed  away  in  the  house. 
Here  ends  their  history,  except  that  they  are  taken  out 
again  when  the  vessel  is  ready  to  go  home,  beaten,  stowed 
away  on  board,  carried  to  Boston,  tanned,  made  into  shoes 
and  other  articles  for  which  leather  is  used  ; and  many  of 
them,  very  probably,  in  the  end,  brought  back  a gain  to 
California  in  the  shape  of  shoes,  and  worn  out  in  pursuit 
of  other  bullocks,  or  in  the  curing  of  other  hides. 

By  putting  an  hundred  and  fifty  in  soak  every  day,  we 
had  the  same  number  at  each  stage  of  curing,  on  each 
day  ; so  that  we  had,  every  day,  the  same  work  to  do  upon 
the  same  number : an  hundred  and  fifty  to  put  in  soak  ; 
an  hundred  and  fifty  to  wash  out  and  put  in  the  vat ; the 
same  number  to  haul  from  the  vat  and  put  on  the  plat- 
form to  drain  ; the  same  number  to  spread  and  stake  out 
and  clean  ; and  the  same  number  to  beat  and  stow  away 
in  the  house.  I ought  to  except  Sunday ; for,  by  a pre- 
scription which  no  captain  or  agent  has  yet  ventured 
to  break  in  upon,  Sunday  has  been  a day  of  leisure  on  the 
beach  for  years.  On  Saturday  night,  the  hides,  in  every 
s1:age  of  progress,  are  carefully  covered  up,  and  not  un- 
covered until  Monday  morning.  On  Sundays  we  had 
absolutely  no  work  to  do,  unless  it  was  to  kill  a bullock, 
which  was  sent  down  for  our  use  about  once  a week,  and 


*44 


TJTD  'THATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


sometimes  came  on  Sunday.  Another  good  arrangement 
v/as,  that  we  had  just  so  much  work  to  do,  and  when  that 
was  through  the  time  was  our  own.  Knowing  this,  we 
worked  hard,  and  needed  no  driving.  We  “ turned  out  ” 
every  morning  at  the  first  signs  of  daylight,  and  allowing 
a short  time,  about  eight  o’clock,  for  breakfast,  generally 
got  through  our  labor  between  one  and  two  o’clock,  when 
we  dined,  and  had  the  rest  of  the  time  to  ourselves  ; until 
just  before  sundown,  when  wre  beat  the  dry  hides  and  put 
them  in  the  house,  and  covered  over  all  the  others.  By 
this  means  we  had  about  three  hours  to  ourselves  every 
afternoon  ; and  at  sundown  we  had  our  supper,  and  our 
work  was  done  for  the  day.  There  was  no  watch  to  stand, 
and  no  topsails  to  reef.  The  evenings  we  generally  spent 
at  one  another’s  houses,  and  I often  went  up  and  spent  an 
hour  or  so  at  the  oven  ; which  was  called  the  “ Kanaka 
Hotel,”  and  the  “ Oahu  Coffee-house.”  Immediately 
after  dinner  we  usually  took  a short  sufsta  to  make  up  for 
our  early  rising,  and  spent  the  rest  of  the  afternoon  accord- 
ing to  our  own  fancies.  I generally  read,  wrote,  and 
made  or  mended  clothes  ; for  necessity,  the  mother  of  in- 
vention, had  taught  me  these  two  latter  arts.  The  Kan- 
akas went  up  to  the  oven,  and  spent  the  time  in  sleeping, 
talking,  and  smoking ; and  my  messmate,  Nicholas,  who 
neither  knew  how  to  read  nor  write,  passed  away  the  time 
by  a long  siesta , two  or  three  smokes  with  his  pipe,  and  a 
pase'o  to  the  other  houses.  This  leisure  time  is  never  in- 
terfered with,  for  the  captains  know  that  the  men  earn  it 
by  working  hard  and  fast,  and  that  if  they  interfered  with 
it,  the  men  could  easily  make  their  twenty-five  hides  apiece 
last  through  the  day.  We  were  pretty  independent,  too, 
for  the  master  of  the  house — “ capitan  de  la  casa  ” — had 
nothing  to  say  to  us,  except  when  we  were  at  work  on  the 
hides,  and  although  we  could  not  go  up  to  the  town  with- 
out, his  permission,  this  was  seldom  or  never  refused. 

The  great  weight  of  the  wet  hides,  which  we  were 
obliged  to  roll  about  in  wheelbarrows  ; the  continual  stoop- 
ing upon  those  which  were  pegged  out  to  be  cleaned ; 
and  the  smell  of  the  vats,  into  which  we  were  often* 
obliged  to  get,  knee-deep,  to  press  down  the  hides ; 
all  made  the  work  disagreeable  and  fatiguing ; — but  we 
soon  got  hardened  to  it,  and  the  comparative  indepen- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


1 45 


c! c nee  of  our  life  reconciled  us  to  it ; for  there  was 
nobody  to  haze  us  and  find  fault ; and  when  we  got 
through,  we  had  only  to  wash  and  change  our  clothes,  and 
our  time  was  our  own.  There  was,  however,  one  excep- 
tion to  the  time’s  being  our  own  ; which  was,  that  on  two 
afternoons  of  every  week  we  were  obliged  to  go  off  and 
get  wood  for  the  cook  to  use  in  the  galley.  Wood  is  very 
scarce  in  the  vicinity  of  San  Diego;  there  being  no  trees 
of  any  size,  for  miles.  In  the  town,  the  inhabitants  burn 
the  small  wood  which  grows  in  thickets,  and  for  which 
they  send  out  Indians,  in  large  numbers,  every  few  days. 
Fortunately,  the  climate  is  so  fine  that  they  have  no  need 
of  a fire  in  their  houses,  and  only  use  it  for  cooking.  With 
us,  the  getting  of  wood  was  a great  trouble  ; for  all  that  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  houses  had  been  cut  down,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  go  off  a mile  or  two,  and  to  carry  it  some  dis- 
tance on  our  backs,  as  we  could  not  get  the  hand-cart  up 
the  hills  and  over  the  uneven  places.  Two  afternoons  in 
the  week,  generally  Monday  and  Thursday,  as  soon  as  we 
had  got  through  dinner,  we  started  off  for  the  bush,  each 
of  us  furnished  with  a hatchet  and  a long  piece  of  rope, 
and  dragging  the  hand-cart  behind  us,  and  followed  by 
the  whole  colony  of  dogs,  who  were  always  ready  for  the 
bush,  and  were  half  mad  whenever  they  saw  our  prepara- 
tions. We  went  with  the  hand-cart  as  far  as  we  could 
conveniently  drag  it,  and  leaving  it  in  an  open,  conspicu- 
ous place,  separated  ourselves ; each  taking  his  own 
course,  and  looking  about  for  some  good  place  to  begin 
upon.  Frequently,  we  had  to  go  nearly  a mile  from  the 
hand-cart,  before  we  could  find  any  fit  place.  Having 
lighted  upon  a good  thicket,  the  next  thing  was  to  clear 
away  the  under-brush,  and  have  fair  play  at  the  trees. 
These  trees  are  seldom  more  than  five  or  six  feet  high, 
and  the  highest  that  I ever  saw  in  these  expeditions  could 
not  have  been  more  than  twelve  ; so  that,  with  lopping  off 
the  branches  and  clearing  away  the  underwood,  we  had  a 
good  deal  of  cutting  to  do  for  a very  little  wood.  Having 
cut  enough  for  a “back-load,”  the  next  thing  was  to  make 
it  well  fast  with  the  rope,  and  heaving  the  bundle  upon 
our  backs,  and  taking  the  hatchet  in  hand,  to  walk  off,  up 
hill  and  down  dale,  to  the  hand-cart.  Two  good  back- 
loads  apiece  filled  the  hand-cart ; and  that  was  each  one’s 


i 46  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

proportion.  When  each  had  brought  down  his  second 
load,  we  filled  the  hand-cart,  and  took  our  way  again 
slowly  back  to  the  beach.  It  was  generally  sundown  when 
we  got  back,  and  unloading,  covering  the  hides  for  the 
night,  and  getting  our  supper,  finished  the  day’s  work. 

These  wooding  excursions  had  always  a mixture  of 
something  rather  pleasant  in  them.  Roaming  about  in 
the  woods  with  hatchet  in  hand,  like  a backwoodsman, 
followed  by  a troop  of  dogs  ; starting  up  of  birds,  snakes, 
hares  and  foxes,  and  examining  the  various  kinds  of  trees, 
flowers,  and  birds’  nests,  was,  at  least,  a change  from 
the  monotonous  drag  and  pull  on  shipboard.  Frequently, 
too,  we  had  some  amusement  and  adventure.  The  coati, 
of  which  I have  before  spoken, — a sort  of  mixture  of  the 
fox  and  wolf  breeds, — fierce  little  animals,  with  bushy 
tails  and  large  heads,  and  a quick,  sharp  bark,  abound 
here,  as  in  all  other  parts  of  California.  These,  the  dogs 
were  very  watchful  for,  and  whenever  they  saw  them, 
started  off  in  full  run  after  them.  We  had  many  fine 
chases ; yet,  although  our  dogs  ran  finely,  the  rascals 
generally  escaped.  They  are  a match  for  the  dog, — one 
to  one, — but  as  the  dogs  generally  went  in  squads,  there 
was  seldom  a fair  fight.  A smaller  dog,  belonging  to  us, 
once  attacked  a coati,  single,  and  got  a good  deal  worsted, 
and  might  perhaps  have  been  killed,  had  we  not  come  to 
his  assistance.  We  had,  however,  one  dog  which  gave 
them  a good  deal  of  trouble  and  many  hard  runs.  He  was 
a fine,  tall  fellow,  and  united  strength  and  agility  better 
than  any  dog  that  I have  ever  seen.  He  was  born  at  the 
Islands,  his  father  being  an  English  mastiff,  and  his  mother 
a greyhound.  He  had  the  high  head,  long  legs,  narrow 
body,  and  springing  gait  of  the  latter,  and  the  heavy 
jaw,  thick  jowls,  and  strong  fore-quarters  of  the  mastiff. 
When  he  was  brought  to  San  Diego,  an  English  sailor  said 
that  he  looked,  about  the  face,  precisely  like  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  whom  he  had  once  seen  at  the  Tower ; and, 
indeed,  there  was  something  about  him  which  resembled 
the  portraits  of  the  Duke.  From  this  time  he  was  chris- 
tened “ Welly,”  and  became  the  favorite  and  bully  of  the 
beach.  He  always  led  the  dogs  by  several  yards  in  the 
chase,  and  had  killed  two  coati  at  different  times  in  sin- 
gle combats.  We  often  had  fine  sport  with  these  fellows. 


rtro  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


U7 

A quick,  sharp  bark  from  a coati,  and  in  an  instant  every 
dog  was  at  the  height  of  his  speed.  A few  moments 
made  up  for  an  unfair  start,  and  gave  each  dog  his 
relative  place.  Welly,  at  the  head,  seemed  almost  to  skim 
over  the  bushes ; and  after  him  came  Fanny,  Bravo, 
Childers,  and  the  other  fleet  ones, — the  spaniels  and  ter- 
riers ; and  then,  behind,  followed  the  heavy  corps, — ■ 
bulldogs,  etc.  ; for  we  had  every  breed.  Pursuit  by  us 
was  in  vain,  and  in  about  half  an  hour  a few  of  them  would 
come  panting  and  straggling  back. 

Beside  the  coati,  the  dogs  sometimes  made  prizes  of 
rabbits  and  hares,  which  are  very  plentiful  here,  and  great 
numbers  of  which  we  often  shot  for  our  dinners.  There 
was  another  animal  that  I was  not  so  much  disposed  to 
find  amusement  from,  and  that  was  the  rattlesnake. 
These  are  very  abundant  here,  especially  during  the  spring 
of  the  year.  The  latter  part  of  the  time  that  I was  on 
shore,  I did  not  meet  with  so  many,  but  for  the  first  two 
months  we  seldom  went  into  “ the  bush  ” without  one 
of  our  number  starting  some  of  them.  The  first  that  I 
ever  saw,  I remember  perfectly  well.  I had  left  my  com- 
panions, and  was  beginning  to  clear  away  a fine  clump  of 
trees,  when,  just  in  the  midst  of  the  thicket,  not  more 
than  eight  yards  from  me,  one  of  these  fellows  set  up  his 
hiss.  It  is  a sharp,  continuous  sound,  and  resembles, 
very  much  the  letting  off  the  steam  from  the  small  pipe  of 
a steamboat,  except  that  it  is  on  a smaller  scale.  I knew, 
by  the  sound  of  an  axe,  that  one  of  my  companions  was 
near,  and  called  out  to  him,  to  let  him  know  what  I had 
fallen  upon.  He  took  it  very  lightly,  and  as  he  seemed 
inclined  to  laugh  at  me  for  being  afraid,  I determined 
to  keep  my  place.  1 knew  that  so  long  as  I could  hear 
the  rattle,  I was  safe,  for  these  snakes  never  make  a noise 
when  they  are  in  motion.  Accordingly,  I kept  at  my 
work,  and  the  noise  which  I made  with  cutting  and  break- 
ing the  trees  kept  him  in  alarm;  so  that  I had  the  rattle 
to  show  me  his  whereabouts.  Once  or  twice  the  noise 
stopped  for  a short  time,  which  gave  me  a little  uneasi- 
ness, and  retreating  a few  steps,  I threw  something  into 
the  bush,  as  which  he  would  set  his  rattle  agoing;  and 
finding  that  he  had  not  moved  from  his  first  place,  I was 
easy  again,  in  this  way  I continued  at  my  work  until  I 


148 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


had  cut  a full  load,  never  suffering  him  to  be  quiet  for  a 
moment.  Having  cut  my  load,  I strapped  it  together, 
and  got  everything  ready  for  starting.  I felt  that  I could 
now  call  the  others  without  the  imputation  of  being  afraid ; 
and  went  in  search  of  them.  In  a few  minutes  we  were 
all  collected,  and  began  an  attack  upon  the  bush.  The 
big  Frenchman,  who  was  the  one  that  I had  called  to  at 
first,  I found  as  little  inclined  to  approach  the  snake  as  1 
had  been.  The  dogs,  too,  seemed  afraid  of  the  rattle, 
and  kept  up  a barking  at  a safe  distance ; but  the  Kana- 
kas showed  no  fear,  and  getting  long  sticks,  went  into 
the  bush,  and  keeping  a bright  look-out,  stood  within  a 
few  feet  of  him.  One  or  two  blows  struck  near  him,  and  a few 
stones  thrown,  started  him,  and  we  lost  his  track,  and  had 
the  pleasant  consciousness  that  he  might  be  directly  under 
our  feet.  By  throwing  stones  and  chips  in  different  direc- 
tions, we  made  him  spring  his  rattle  again,  and  began  another 
attack.  This  time  we  drove  him  into  the  clear  ground,  and 
saw  him  gliding  off,  with  head  and  tail  erect,  when  a stone, 
well  aimed,  knocked  him  over  the  bank,  down  a declivity  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  and  stretched  him  at  his  length. 
Having  made  sure  of  him,  by  a few  more  stones,  we  went 
down,  and  one  of  the  Kanakas  cut  off  his  rattle.  These 
rattles  vary  in  number,  it  is  said,  according  to  the  age  of 
the  snake ; though  the  Indians  think  they  indicate  the 
number  of  creatures  they  have  killed.  We  always  pre- 
served them  as  trophies,  and  at  the  end  of  the  summer 
had  quite  a number.  None  of  our  people  were  ever  bit- 
ten by  them,  but  one  of  our  dogs  died  of  a bite,  and  an- 
other was  supposed  to  have  been  bitten,  but  recovered. 
We  had  no  remedy  for  the  bite,  though  it  was  said  that 
the  Indians  of  the  country  had,  and  the  Kanakas  professed 
to  have  an  herb  which  would  cure  it,  but  it  was  fortunately 
never  brought  to  the  test. 

Hares  and  rabbits,  as  I said  before,  were  abundant, 
and  during  the  winter  months,  the  waters  are  covered  with  # 
wild  ducks  and  geese.  Crows,  too,  were  very  numerous, 
and  frequently  alighted  in  great  numbers  upon  our  hides, 
picking  at  the  pieces  of  dried  meat  and  fat.  Bears  and 
wolves  are  numerous  in  the  upper  parts,  and  in  the  inte- 
rior, (and,  indeed,  a man  was  killed  by  a bear  within  a few 
miles  of  San  Pedro,  while  we  were  there,)  but  there  were 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


149 


none  in  our  immediate  neighborhood.  The  only  other 
animals  were  horses.  Over  a dozen  of  these  were  owned 
by  different  people  on  the  beach,  and  were  allowed  to  run 
loose  among  the  hills,  with  a long  lasso  attached  to  them, 
and  pick  up  feed  wherever  they  could  find  it.  We  were 
sure  of  seeing  them  once  a day,  for  there  was  no  water 
among  the  hills,  and  they  were  obliged  to  come  down  to 
the  well  which  had  been  dug  upon  the  beach.  These  horses 
were  bought  at,  from  two,  to  six  and  eight  dollars  apiece, 
and  were  held  very  much  as  common  property.  We  gener- 
ally kept  one  fast  to  one  of  the  houses  every  day,  so  that 
we  could  mount  him  and  catch  any  of  the  others.  Some 
of  them  were  really  fine  animals,  and  gave  us  many  good 
runs  up  to  the  presidio  and  over  the  country. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

After  we  had  been  a few  weeks  on  shore,  and  had  be- 
gun to  feel  broken  into  the  regularity  of  our  life,  its 
monotony  was  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  two  vessels 
from  the  windward.  We  were  sitting  at  dinner  in  out 
little  room,  when  we  heard  the  cry  of  “ Sail  ho  ! ” This, 
we  haa  learned,  did  not  always  signify  a vessel,  but  was 
raised  whenever  a woman  was  seen  coming  down  from  the 
town  ; or  a squaw,  or  an  ox-cart,  or  anything  unusual,  hove 
in  sight  upon  the  road  ; so  we  took  no  notice  of  it.  But  it 
soon  became  so  loud  and  general  from  all  parts  of  the 
beach,  that  we  were  led  to  go  to  the  door  ; and  there,  sure 
enough,  were  two  sails  coming  round  the  point,  and  lean- 
ing over  from  the  strong  northwest  wind,  which  blows 
down  the  coast  every  afternoon.  The  headmost  was  a 
ship,  and  the  other,  a brig.  Everybody  was  alive  on  the 
beach,  and  all  manner  of  conjectures  were  abroad.  Some 
said  it  was  the  Pilgrim,  with  the  Boston  ship,  which  we 
were  expecting  ; but  we  soon  saw  that  the  brig  was  not 
the  Pilgrim,  and  the  ship,  with  her  stump  top-gallant 
masts  and  rusty  sides,  could  not  be  a dandy  Boston  India 
man.  As  they  drew  nearer,  we  soon  discovered  the  high 
poop  and  top-gallant  forecastle,  and  other  marks  of  the 
Italian  ship  Rosa,  and  the  brig  proved  to  be  the  Catalina 


*5° 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TEE  MAST. 


which  we  saw  at  Santa  Barbara,  just  arrived  from  Valpa- 
raiso. They  came  to  anchor,  moored  ship,  and  commenced 
discharging  hides  and  tallow.  The  Rosa  had  purchased 
the  house  occupied  by  the  Lagoda,  and  the  Catalina  took 
the  other  spare  one  between  ours  and  the  Ayacucho’s,  so 
that,  now,  each  one  was  occupied,  and  the  beach,  for 
several  days,  was  all  alive.  The  Catalina  had  several 
Kanakas  on  board,  who  were  immediately  besieged  by  the 
others,  and  carried  up  to  the  oven,  where  they  had  a long 
pow-wow,  and  a smoke.  Two  Frenchmen,  who  belonged 
to  the  Rosa’s  crew,  came  in,  every  evening,  to  see 
Nicholas  ; and  from  them  we  learned  that  the  Pilgrim  was 
at  San  Pedro,  and  was  the  only  other  vessel  now  on  .the 
coast.  Several  of  the  Italians  slept  on  shore  at  their  hide- 
house  ; and  there,  and  at  the  tent  in  which  the  Fazio’s 
crew  lived,  we  had  some  very  good  singing,  almost  every 
evening.  The  Italians  sang  a variety  of  songs — barcarol- 
los,  provincial  airs,  etc. ; in  several  of  which  I recognized 
parts  of  our  favorite  operas  and  sentimental  songs.  They 
often  joined  in  a song,  taking  all  the  different  parts ; 
which  produced  a fine  effect,  as  many  of  them  had  good 
voices,  and  all  seemed  to  sing  with  spirit  and  feeling. 
One  young  man,  in  particular,  had  a falsetto  as  clear  as  a 
clarionet. 

The  greater  part  of  the  crews  of  the  vessels  tame 
ashore  every  evening,  and  we  passed  the  time  in  going 
about  from  one  house  to  another,  and  listening  to  all 
manner  of  languages.  The  Spanish  was  the  common 
ground  upon  which  we  all  met ; for  every  one  knew  more 
or  less  of  that.  We  had  now,  out  of  forty  or  fifty,  repre- 
sentatives from  almost  every  nation  under  the  sun : two 
Englishmen,  three  Yankees,  two  Scotchmen,  two  Welsh- 
men, one  Irishman,  three  Frenchmen  (two  of  whom  were 
Normans,  and  the  third  from  Gascony),  one  Dutchman, 
one  Austrian,  two  or  three  Spaniards  (from  old  Spain), 
half  a dozen  Spanish- Americans  and  half-breeds,  twro 
native  Indians  from  Chili  and  the  Island  of  Chiloe,  one 
Negro,  one  Mulatto,  about  twenty  Italians,  from  all  parts 
of  Italy,  as  many  more  Sandwich  Islanders,  one  Otaheitan, 
and  one  Kanaka  from  the  Marquesas  Islands. 

The  night  before  the  vessels  were  ready  to  sail,  all  the 
Europeans  united  and  had  an  entertainment  at  the  Rosa’s 


Tll’O  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*5* 

hide-house,  and  we  had  songs  of  every  nation  and  tongue. 
A German  gave  us  “ Och  ! mein  lieber  Augustin  ! ” the 
three  Frenchmen  roared  through  the  Marseilles  Hymn ; 
the  English  and  Scotchmen  gave  us  “ Rule  Britannia/’ 
and  “ Wha’ll  be  King  but  Charlie  ? ” the  Italians  and 
Spaniards  screamed  through  some  national  affairs,  for 
which  I was  none  the  wiser  ; and  we  three  Yankees  made 
an  attempt  at  the  “ Star-spangled  Banner/,  After  these 
national  tributes  had  been  paid,  the  Austrian  gave  us  a 
very  pretty  little  love-song,  and  the  Frenchmen  sang  a 
spirited  thing  called  “ Sentinelle  ! O prenez  garde  a 
vous  ! ” and  then  followed  the  melange  which  might  have 
been  expecled.  When  I left  them,  the  aquadiente  and 
annisou  were  pretty  well  in  their  heads,  and  they  were  all 
singing  and  talking  at  once,  and  their  peculiar  national 
oaths  were  getting  as  plenty  as  pronouns. 

The  next  day,  the  two  vessels  got  under  weigh  for  the 
windward,  and  left  us  in  quiet  possession  of  the  beach* 
Our  numbers  were  somewhat  enlarged  by  the  opening  of 
the  new  houses,  and  the  society  of  the  beach  a little 
changed.  In  charge  of  the  Catalina’s  house,  was  an  old 
Scotchman,  who,  like  most  of  his  countrymen,  had  a 
pretty  good  education,  and,  like  many  of  them,  was  rather 
pragmatical,  and  had  a ludicrously  solemn  conceit.  He 
employed  his  time  in  taking  care  of  his  pigs,  chickens, 
turkeys,  dogs,  etc.,  and  in  smoking  his  long  pipe.  Every- 
thing was  as  neat  as  a pin  in  the  house,  and  he  was  as 
regular  in  his  hours  as  a chronometer,  but  as  he  kept  very 
much  by  himself,  was  not  a great  addition  to  our  society. 
He  hardly  spent  a cent  all  the  time  he  was  on  the  beach, 
and  the  others  said  he  was  no  shipmate.  He  had  been  a 
petty  officer  on  board  the  British  frigate  Dublin,  Capt. 
Lord  James  Townshend,  and  had  great  ideas  of  his  own 
importance.  The  man  in  charge  of  the  Rosa’s  house  was 
an  Austrian  by  birth,  but  spoke,  read,  and  wrote  four  lan- 
guages with  ease  and  correctness.  German  was  his  native 
tongue,  but  being  born  near  the  borders  of  Italy,  and  hav- 
ing sailed  out  of  Genoa,  the  Italian  was  almost  as  familiar 
to  him  as  his  own  language.  He  was  six  years  on  board 
of  an  English  man-of-war,  where  he  learned  to  speak  our 
language  with  ease,  and  also  to  read  and  write  it.  He 
had  been  several  years  in  Spanish  vessels,  and  had  acquire 


TWO  J EARS  SEE ORE  THE  MAST 


IS2 

ed  that  language  so  well,  that  he  could  read  any  books  in 
it.  He  was  between  forty  and  fifty  years  of  age,  and  was 
a singular  mixture  of  the  man-of-war’s-man  and  Puritan. 
He  talked  a great  deal  about  propriety  and  steadiness, 
and  gave  good  advice  to  the  youngsters  and  Kanakas,  but 
seldom  went  up  to  the  town,  without  coming  down  “ three 
sheets  in  the  wind.’1  One  holyday,  he  and  old  Robert 
(the  Scotchman  from  the  Catalina)  went  up  to  the  town, 
and  got  so  cozy , talking  over  old  stories  and  giving  one 
another  good  advice,  that  they  came  down,  double-back- 
ed, on  a horse,  and  both  rolled  off  into  the  sand  as  soon 
as  the  horse  stopped.  This  put  an  end  to  their  preten- 
sions, and  they  never  heard  the  last  of  it  from  the  rest  of 
the  men.  On  the  night  of  the  entertainment  at  the 
Rosa’s  house,  I saw  old  Schmidt  (that  was  the  Austrian’s 
name),  standing  up  by  a hogshead,  holding  on  by 
both  hands,  and  calling  out  to  himself — “ Hold  on, 
Schmidt ! hold  on,  my  good  fellow,  or  you’ll  be  on  your 
back  ! ” Still,  he  was  an  intelligent,  good-natured  old  fel- 
low, and  had  a chest-full  of  books,  which  he  willingly  lent 
me  to  read.  In  the  same  house  with  him  was  a French- 
man and  an  Englishman;  the  latter  a regular-built  “ man- 
of-war  Jack  ; ” a thorough  seaman  ; a hearty,  generous 
fellow ; and,  at  the  same  time,  a drunken,  dissolute  dog. 
He  made  it  a point  to  get  drunk  once  a fortnight  (when 
he  always  managed  to  sleep  on  the  road,  and  have  his 
money  stolen  from  him),  and  to  battle  the  Frenchman 
once  a week.  These,  with  a Chilian,  and  a half  a dozen 
Kanakas,  formed  the  addition  to  our  company. 

In  about  six  weeks  from  the  time  when  the  Pilgrim 
sailed,  we  had  got  all  the  hides  which  she  left  us  cured  and 
stowed  away ; and  having  cleared  up  the  ground,  and 
emptied  the  vats,  and  set  everything  in  order,  had  nothing 
more  to  do  until  she  should  come  down  again,  but  to  sup- 
ply ourselves  with  wood.  Instead  of  going  twice  a week 
for  this  purpose,  we  determined  to  give  one  whole  week  to 
getting  wood,  and  then  we  should  have  enough  to  last  us 
half  through  the  summer.  Accordingly,  we  started  off  every 
morning,  after  an  early  breakfast,  with  our  hatchets  in 
hand,  and  cut  wood  until  the  sun  was  over  the  point, — 
which  was  our  only  mark  of  time,  as  there  was  not  a watch 
on  the  beach — and  then  came  back  to  dinner,  and  after  dim 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  153 

ner  started  off  again  with  our  hand-cart  and  ropes,  and  carted 
and  “ backed”  it  down,  until  sunset.  This,  we  kept  up  for  a 
week,  until  we  had  collected  several  cords,— enough  to  last 
us  for  six  or  eight  weeks, — when  we  “ knocked  off  ” alto- 
gether, much  to  my  joy ; for,  though  I liked  straying  in  the 
woods,  and  cutting,  very  well,  yet  the  backing  the  wood 
for  so  great  a distance,  over  an  uneven  country,  was,  with- 
out exception,  the  hardest  work  I had  ever  done.  I usually 
had  to  kneel  down  and  contrive  to  heave  the  load,  which 
was  well  strapped  together,  upon  my  back,  and  then  rise 
up  and  start  off  with  it,  up  the  hills  and  down  the  vales, 
sometimes  through  thickets, — the  rough  points  sticking 
into  the  skin,  aud  tearing  the  clothes,  so  that,  at  the  end 
of  the  week,  I had  hardly  a whole  shirt  to  my  back. 

We  were  now  through  all  our  work,  and  had  nothing 
more  to  do  until  the  Pilgrim  should  come  down  again. 
We  had  nearly  got  through  our  provisions  too,  as  well  as 
our  work  ; for  our  officer  had  been  very  wasteful  of  them, 
and  the  tea,  flour,  sugar,  and  molasses,  were  all  gone. 
We  suspected  him  of  sending  them  up  to  the  town  ; and 
he  always  treated  the  squaws  with  molasses,  whcr*  they 
came  down  to  the  beach.  Finding  wheat-coffee  and  dry 
bread  rather  poor  living,  we  clubbed  together,  and  I went 
up  to  the  town  on  horseback,  with  a great  salt-bag  be- 
hind the  saddle,  and  a few  rekls  in  my  pockets,  and 
brought  back  the  bags  full  of  onions,  pears,  beans,  water- 
melons, and  other  fruits  ; for  the  young  woman  who  tended 
the  garden,  finding  that  I belonged  to  the  American  ship, 
and  that  we  were  short  of  provisions,  put  in  a double  por- 
tion. With  these  we  lived  like  fighting-cocks  for  a week  or 
two,  and  had,  besides,  what  the  sailors  call  “ a blow-out  on 
sleep not  turning  out  in  the  morning  until  breakfast  was 
ready.  I employed  several  days  in  overhauling  my  chest, 
and  mending  up  all  my  old  clothes,  until  I had  got  every- 
thing in  order — patch  upon  patch,  like  a sand-barge's 
mainsail.  Then  I took  hold  of  Bowditch’s  Navigator, 
which  I had  always  with  me.  I had  been  through  the 
greater  part  of  it,  and  now  went  carefully  through  it,  from 
beginning  to  end,  working  out  most  of  the  examples.  That 
done,  and  there  being  no  signs  of  the  Pilgrim,  I made  a 
descent  upon  old  Schmidt,  and  borrowed  and  read  all  the 
books  there  were  upon  the  beach.  Such  a dearth  was 


*54 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


there  of  these  latter  articles,  that  anything,  even  a little 
child’s  story-book,  or  half  of  a shipping  calendar,  appeared 
like  a treasure.  I actually  read  a jest  book  through,  from 
beginning  to  end,  in  one  day,  as  I should  a novel,  and  en- 
joyed it  very  much.  At  last,  when  I thought  that  there 
were  no  more  to  be  got,  I found,  at  the  bottom  of  old 
Schmidt’s  chest,  “ Mandeville,  a Romance,  by  Godwin,  in 
five  volumes.”  This  I had  never  read,  but  Godwin’s  name 
was  enough,  and  after  the  wretched  trash  I had  devoured, 
anything  bearing  the  name  of  a distinguished  intellectual 
man,  was  a prize  indeed.  I bore  it  off,  and  for  two  days  I 
was  up  early  and  late,  reading  with  all  my  might,  and 
actually  drinking  in  delight.  It  is  no  extravagance  to  say 
that  it  was  like  a spring  in  a desert  land. 

From  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous — so,  with  me,  from 
Mandeville  to  hide-curing,  was  but  a step  ; for 

Wednesday , July  1 8th,  brought  us  the  brig  Pilgrim 
from  the  windward.  As  she  came  in,  we  found  that  she 
was  a good  deal  altered  in  her  appearance.  Her  short  top- 
gallant masts  were  up;  her  bowlines  all  unrove  (except 
to  the  courses) ; the  quarter  boom-irons  off  her  lower  yards  ; 
her  jack-cross-trees  sent  down  ; several  blocks  got  rid  of ; 
running-rigging  rove  in  new  places  ; and  numberless  other 
changes,  of  the  same  character.  Then,  too,  there  was  a 
new  voice  giving  orders,  and  a new  face  on  quarter-deck, 
— a short,  dark-complexioned  man,  in  a green  jacket  and 
a high  leather  cap.  These  changes,  of  course,  set  the 
whole  beach  on  the  qui-vive , and  we  were  all  waiting  for 
the  boat  to  come  ashore,  that  we  might  have  things  ex- 
plained. At  length,  after  the  sails  were  furled  and  the 
anchor  carried  out,  the  boat  pulled  ashore,  and  the  news 
soon  flew  that  the  expected  ship  had  arrived  at  Santa  Bar- 
bara, and  that  Captain  T had  taken  command  of  her, 

and  her  captain,  Faucon,  had  taken  the  Pilgrim,  and  was  the 
green  jacketed  man  on  the  quarter-deck.  The  boat  put 
directly  off  again,  without  giving  us  time  to  ask  any  more 
questions,  and  we  were  obliged  to  wait  till  night,  when  we 
took  a little  skiff,  that  lay  on  the  beach,  and  paddled  off. 
When  I stepped  aboard,  the  second  mate  called  me  aft,  and 
gave  me  a large  bundle,  directed  to  me,  and  marked  “ Ship 
Alert.”  This  was  what  I had  longed  for,  yet  I refrained 
from  opening  it  until  I went  ashore.  Diving  down  into  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*55 

forecastle,  I found  the  same  old  crew,  and  was  really  glad 
to  see  them  again.  Numerous  inquiries  passed  as  to  the 

new  ship,  the  latest  news  from  Boston,  etc.  etc.  S had 

received  letters  from  home,  and  nothing  remarkable  had 
happened.  The  Alert  was  agreed  on  all  hands  to  be  a fine 
ship,  and  a large  one  : “ Larger  than  the  Rosa” — “ Big 
enough  to  carry  off  all  the  hides  in  California” — “ Rail  as 
high  as  a man’s  head” — “ A crack  ship” — A regular  dandy,” 

etc.  etc.  Captain  T took  command  of  her,  and  she  went 

directly  up  to  Monterey ; from  thence  she  was  to  go  to  San 
Francisco,  and  probable  would  not  be  in  San  Diego  under 
two  or  three  months.  Some  of  the  Pilgrim’s  crew  found 
old  shipmates  aboard  of  her,  and  spent  an  hour  or  two  in 
her  forecastle,  the  evening  before  she  sailed.  They  said 
her  decks  were  as  white  as  snow — holystoned  every  morn- 
ing, like  a man-of-w&r’s  ; everything  on  board  “ ship-shape 
and  Bristol  fashion  ;”  a fine  crew,  three  mates,  a sailmaker 
and  carpenter,  and  all  complete.  “ They’ve  got  a man  for 
mate  of  that  ship,  and  not  a bloody  sheep  about  decks  ! ” — 
“ A mate  that  knows  his  duty,  and  makes  everybody  do 
theirs,  and  won’t  be  imposed  upon  either  by  captain  or 
crew.”  After  collecting  all  the  information  we  could  get  on 
this  points,  we  asked  something  about  their  new  captain. 
He  had  hardly  been  on  board  long  enough  for  them  to 
know  much  about  him,  but  he  had  taken  hold  strong,  as 
soon  as  he  took  command  ; — sending  down  the  top-gallant 
masts,  and  unreeving  half  the  rigging,  the  very  first  day. 

Having  got  all  the  news  we  could,  we  pulled  ashore 
and  as  soon  as  we  reached  the  house,  I,  as  might  be  sup- 
posed, proceeded  directly  to  opening  my  bundle,  and  found 
a reasonable  supply  of  duck,  flannel  shirts,  shoes,  etc.,  and, 
what  was  still  more  valuable,  a packet  of  eleven  letters. 
These  I sat  up  nearly  all  the  night  to  read,  and  put  them 
carefully  away,  to  be  read  and  re-read  again  and  again  at 
my  leisure.  Then  came  a half  a dozen  newspapers,  the 
last  of  which  gave  notice  of  Thanksgiving,  and  of  the  clear- 
ance of  “ ship  Alert,  Edward  FI.  Faucon,  master,  for  Cal- 
lao and  California,  by  Bryant,  Sturgis  & Co.”  No  one 
has  ever  been  on  distant  voyages,  and  after  a long  absence 
received  a newspaper  from  home,  who  cannot  understand 
the  delight  that  they  give  one.  I read  every  part  of  them 
— the  houses  to  let,  things  lost  or  stolen  ; auction  sales, 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  TI1E  MAST 


156 

and  all.  Nothing  carries  you  so  entirely  to  a place,  ^ud 
makes  you  feel  so  perfectly  at  home,  as  a newspaper.  The 
very  name  of  “ Boston  Daily  Advertiser  ” sounded  hospit- 
ably upon  the  ear. 

The  Pilgrim  discharged  her  hides,  which  set  us  at  work 
again,  and  in  a few  days  we  were  in  the  old  routine  of  dry 
hides — wet  hides — cleaning — beating,  etc.  Captain  Fau- 
con  came  quietly  up  to  me,  as  I was  at  work  with  my  knife, 
cutting  the  meat  from  a dirty  hide,  asked  me  how  I liked 
California,  and  repeated — “ Tityre,  tu  patulae  recubans  sub 
tegmine  fagi.”  Very  apropos,  thought  I,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  serves  to  show  that  you  understand  Latin.  However, 
a kind  word  from  a captain  is  a thing  not  to  be  slighted  ; 
so  I answered  him  civilly,  and  made  the  most  of  it. 

Saturday,  July  11  th.  The  Pilgrim  set  sail  for  the  wind- 
ward, and  left  us  to  go  on  in  our  old  way.  Having  laid 
in  such  a supply  of  wood,  and  the  days  being  now  long, 
and  invariably  pleasant,  we  had  a good  deal  of  time  to  our- 
selves. All  the  duck  I received  from  home  I soon  made 
up  into  trowsers  and  frocks,  and  displayed  every  Sunday, 
a complete  suit  of  my  own  make,  from  head  to  foot,  hav- 
ing formed  the  remnants  of  the  duck  into  a cap.  Reading, 
mending,  sleeping,  with  occasional  excursions  into  the 
bush,  with  the  dogs,  in  search  of  coati,  hares  and  rabbits, 
or  to  encounter  a rattlesnake,  and  now  and  then  a visit  to 
the  presidio,  filled  up  our  spare  time  after  hide-curing  was 
over  for  the  day.  Another  amusement,  which  we  some- 
times indulged  in  was  “ burning  the  water  ” for  crawfish. 
For  this  purpose,  we  procured  a pair  of  grains,  with  a long 
staff  like  a harpoon,  and  making  torches  with  tarred  rope 
twisted  round  a long  pine  stick,  took  the  only  boat  on  the 
beach,  a small  skiff,  and  with  a torch-bearer  in  the  bow,  a 
steersman  in  the  stern,  and  one  man  on  each  side  with  the 
grains,  went  off,  on  dark  nights,  to  burn  the  water.  This 
is  fine  sport.  Keeping  within  a few  rods  of  the  shore, 
where  the  water  is  not  more  than  three  or  four  feet  deep, 
with  a clear  sandy  bottom,  the  torches  light  everything  up 
so  that  one  could  almost  have  seen  a pin  among  the  grains 
of  sand.  The  crawfish  are  an  easy  prey,  and  we  used  soon 
to  get  a load  of  them.  The  other  fish  were  more  difficult 
to  catch,  yet  we  frequently  speared  a number  of  them,  of 
various  kinds  and  sizes.  The  Pilgrim  brought  us  down  a 


TWO  YEA RS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


lS7 

supply  of  fish-hooks,  which  we  had  never  had  before,  on 
the  beach,  and  for  several  days  we  went  down  to  the  Point 
and  caught  a quantity  of  cod  and  mackerel.  On  one  of  these 
expeditions,  we  saw  a battle  between  two  Sandwich  Island- 
ers and  a shark.  “ Johnny  ” had  been  playing  about  our 
boat  for  some  time,  driving  away  the  fish,  and  showing  his 
teeth  at  our  bait,  when  we  missed  him,  and  in  a few  mo- 
ments heard  a great  shouting  between  two  Kanakas  who 
were  fishing  on  the  rock  opposite  to  us : u E hana  hana 
make  i ka  ia  nui  ! ” “ E pii  mai  Aikaite I”  etc.  etc. ; and 

saw  them  pulling  away  on  a stout  line,  and  “ Johnny  Shark” 
floundering  at  the  other  end.  The  line  soon  broke  ; but 
the  Kanakas  would  not  let  him  off  so  easily,  and  sprang 
directly  into  the  water  after  him.  Now  came  the  tug  of 
war.  Before  he  could  get  into  deep  water,  ^ne  of  them 
seized  him  by  the  tail,  and  ran  up  with  him  upon  the  beach  ; 
but  Johnny  twisted  round,  turning  his  head  under  his  body, 
and  showing  his  teeth  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Kanaka’s  hand, 
made  him  let  go  and  spring  out  of  the  way.  The  shark 
now  turned  tail  and  made  the  best  of  his  way  by  flapping 
and  floundering,  toward  deep  water  ; but  here  again,  before 
he  was  fairly  off,  the  other  Kanaka  seized  him  by  the  tail, 
and  made  a spring  toward  the  beach,  his  companion  at  the 
same  time  paying  away  upon  him  with  stones  and  a large 
stick.  As  soon,  however,  as  the  shark  could  turn,  he  was 
obliged  to  let  go  his  hold  ; but  the  instant  he  made  toward 
deep  water,  they  were  both  behind  him,  watching  their 
chance  to  seize  him.  In  this  way  the  battle  went  on  for 
some  time,  the  shark,  in  a rage,  splashing  and  twisting 
about,  and  the  Kanakas,  in  high  excitement,  yelling  at  the 
top  of  their  voices ; but  the  shark  at  last  got,  off,  carrying 
away  a hook  and  line,  and  not  a few  severe  bruises. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

We  kept  up  a constant  connection  with  the  presidio, 
and  by  the  close  of  the  summer  I had  added  much  to  my 
vocabulary,  beside  having  made  the  acquaintance  of  nearly 
everybody  in  the  place,  and  acquired  some  knowledge  of 


158  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

the  character  and  habits  of  the  people,  as  well  as  of  the 
institutions  under  which  they  live. 

California  was  first  discovered  in  1536,  by  Cortes,  and 
was  subsequently  visited  by  numerous  other  adventurers, 
as  well  as  commissioned  voyagers  of  the  crown.  It  was 
found  to  be  inhabited  by  numerous  tribes  of  Indians,  and 
to  be  in  many  parts  extremely  fertile  ; to  which,  of  course, 
was  added  rumors  of  gold  mines,  pearl  fishery,  etc.  No 
sooner  was  the  importance  of  the  country  known,  than  the 
Jesuits  obtained  leave  to  establish  themselves  in  it,  to 
christianize  and  enlighten  the  Indians.  They  established 
missions  in  various  parts  of  the  country  toward  the  close 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  collected  the  natives  about 
them,  baptizing  them  into  the  church,  and  teaching  them 
the  arts  of  civilized  life.  To  protect  the  Jesuits  in  their 
missions,  and  at  the  same  time  to  support  the  power  of  the 
crown  over  the  civilized  Indians,  two  forts  were  erected 
and  garrisoned,  one  at  San  Diego,  and  the  other  at  Mon- 
terey. These  were  called  Presidios,  and  divided  the  com- 
mand of  the  whole  country  between  them.  Presidios  have 
since  been  established  at  Santa  Barbara  and  San  Fran- 
cisco ; thus  dividing  the  country  into  four  large  districts, 
each  with  its  presidio,  and  governed  by  the  commandant. 
The  soldiers,  for  the  most  part,  married  civilized  Indians  ; 
and  thus,  in  the  vicinity  of  each  presidio,  sprung  up,  grad- 
ually, small  towns.  In  the  course  of  time,  vessels  began 
to  come  into  the  ports  to  trade  with  the  missions,  and  re- 
ceived hides  in  return ; and  thus  began  the  great  trade  of 
California.  Nearly  all  the  cattle  in  the  country  belonged 
to  the  missions,  and  they  employed  their  Indians,  who 
became,  in  fact,  their  slaves,  in  tending  their  vast  herds. 
In  the  year  1793,  when  Vancouver  visited  San  Diego,  the 
missions  had  obtained  great  wealth  and  power,  and  are 
accused  of  having  depreciated  the  country  with  the  sover- 
eign, that  they  might  be  allowed  to  retain  their  possession. 
On  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  from  the  Spanish  domin- 
ions, the  missions  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Franciscans, 
though  without  any  essential  change  in  their  management. 
Ever  since  the  independence  of  Mexico,  the  missions  have 
been  going  down ; until,  at  last,  .a  law  was  passed,  strip- 
ping them  of  all  their  possessions,  and  confining  the 
priests  to  their  spiritual  duties  ; and  at  the  same  time 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*59 


declaring  all  the  Indians  free  and  independent  Ra?icheros 
The  change  in  the  condition  of  the  Indians  was,  as  maybe 
supposed,  only  nominal  : they  are  virtually  slaves,  as 
much  as  they  ever  were.  But  in  the  missions,  the  change 
was  complete.  The  priests  have  now  no  power,  except  in 
their  religious  character,  and  the  great  possessions  of  the 
missions  are  given  over  to  be  preyed  upon  by  the  harpies 
of  the  civil  power,  who  are  sent  there  in  the  capacity  of 
administradores , to  settle  up  the  concerns ; and  who  usu- 
ally end,  in  a few  years,  by  making  themselves  fortunes, 
and  leaving  their  stewardships  worse  than  they  found 
them.  The  dynasty  of  the  priests  was  much  more  accepta- 
ble to  the  people  of  the  country,  and,  indeed,  to  every  one 
concerned  with  the  country,  by  trade  or  otherwise,  than 
that  of  the  administradores.  The  priests  were  attached 
perpetually  to  one  mission,  and  felt  the  necessity  of  keep- 
ing up  its  credit.  Accordingly  their  debts  were  regularly 
paid,  and  the  people  were,  in  the  main,  well  treated,  and 
attached  to  those  who  had  spent  their  whole  lives  among 
them.  But  the  administradores  are  strangers  sent  from 
Mexico,  having  no  interest  in  the  country  ; not  identified 
in  any  way  with  their  charge,  and,  for  the  most  part,  men 
of  desperate  fortunes — broken  down  politicians  and  sol- 
diers— whose  only  object  is  to  retrieve  their  condition  in 
as  short  a time  as  possible.  The  change  had  been  made 
but  a few  years  before  our  arrival  upon  the  coast,  yet,  in 
that  short  time,  the  trade  was  much  diminished,  credit  im- 
paired, and  the  venerable  missions  going  rapidly  to  decay. 
The  external  arrangements  remain  the  same.  There  are 
four  presidios,  having  under  their  protection  the  various 
missions,  and  pueblos,  which  are  towns  formed  by  the 
civil  power,  and  containing  no  mission  or  presidio.  The 
most  northerly  presidio  is  San  Francisco  ; the  next  Mon- 
terey ; the  next  Santa  Barbara,  including  the  mission  of 
the  same,  St.  Louis  Obispo,  and  St.  Buenaventura,  which 
is  the  finest  mission  in  the  whole  country,  having  very 
fertile  soil  and  rich  vineyards.  The  last,  and  most  south- 
erly, is  San  Diego,  including  the  mission  of  the  same,  San 
Juan  Campestrano,  the  Pueblo  de  los  Angelos,  the  largest 
town  in  California,  with  the  neighboring  mission  of  San 
Gabriel.  The  priests  in  spiritual"  matters  are  subject  to 
tht*  Archbishop  of  Mexico,  and  in  temporal  matters  to  the 


i So  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 

governor-general,  who  is  the  great  civil  and  military  head 
of  the  country. 

The  government  of  the  country  is  an  arbitrary  demo- 
cracy ; having  no  common  law,  and  no  judiciary.  Their 
only  laws  are  made  and  unmade  at  the  caprice  of  the  legis- 
lature, and  are  as  variable  as  the  legislature  itself.  They 
pass  through  the  form  of  sending  representatives  to  the 
congress  at  Mexico,  but  as  it  takes  several  months  to  go 
and  return,  and  there  is  very  little  communication  between 
the  capital  and  this  distant  province,  a member  usually 
stays  there,  as  permanent  member,  knowing  very  well 
that  there  will  be  revolutions  at  home  before  he  can  write 
and  receive  an  answer ; and  if  another  member  should  be 
sent,  he  has  only  to  challenge  him,  and  decide  the  con- 
tested election  in  that  way. 

Revolutions  are  matters  of  constant  occurrence  in  Cali- 
fornia. They  are  got  up  by  men  who  are  at  the  foot  of 
the  ladder  and  in  desperate  circumstances,  just  as  a new 
political  party  is  started  by  such  men  in  our  own  country. 
The  only  object,  of  course,  is  the  loaves  and  fishes ; and 
instead  of  caucusing,  paragraphing,  libelling,  feasting, 
promising,  and  lying,  as  with  us,  they  take  muskets  and 
bayonets,  and  seizing  upon  the  presidio  and  custom-house, 
divide  the  spoils,  and  declare  a new  dynasty.  As  for 
justice,  they  know  no  law  but  will  and  fear.  A Yankee, 
who  had  been  naturalized,  and  become  a Catholic,  and 
had  married  in  the  country,  was  sitting  in  his  house  at  the 
Pueblo  de  los  Angelos,  with  his  wife  and  children,  when  a 
Spaniard,  with  whom  he  had  had  a difficulty,  entered  the 
house,  and  stabbed  him  to  the  heart  before  them  all. 
The  murderer  was  seized  by  some  Yankees  who  had 
settled  there,  and  kept  in  confinement  until  a statement  of 
the  whole  affair  could  be  sent  to  the  governor-general. 
He  refused  to  do  anything  about  it,  and  the  countrymen 
of  the  murdered  man,  seeing  no  prospect  of  justice  being 
administered,  made  known  that  if  nothing  was  done,  they 
should  try  the  man  themselves.  It  chanced  that,  at  this 
time,  there  was  a company  of  forty  trappers  and  hunters 
from  Kentucky,  with  their  rifles,  who  had  made  their  head- 
quarters at  the  Pueblo  ; and  these,  together  with  the  Ameri- 
cans and*  Englishmen  in  the  place,  who  were  between 
twenty  and  thirty  in  number,  took  possession  of  the  town, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  161 

and  waiting  a reasonable  time,  proceeded  to  try  the  man 
according  to  the  forms  in  their  own  country.  A judge 
and  jury  were  appointed,  and  he  was  tried,  convicted,  sen- 
tenced to  be  shot,  and  carried  out  before  the  town  with 
his  eyes  blindfolded.  The  names  of  all  the  men  were  then 
put  into  a hat,  and  each  one  pledging  himself  to  perform 
his  duty,  twelve  names  were  drawn  out,  and  the  men  took 
their  stations  with  their  rifles,  and  firing  at  the  word,  laid 
him  dead.  He  was  decently  buried,  and  the  place  was 
restored  quietly  to  the  proper  authorities.  A general, 
with  titles. enough  for  an  hidalgo,  was  at  San  Gabriel,  and 
issued  a proclamation  as  long  as  the  fore-top-bowline, 
threatening  destruction  to  the  rebels,  but  never  stirred 
from  his  fort ; for  forty  Kentucky  hunters,  with  their  rifles, 
were  a match  for  a whole  regiment  of  hungry,  drawling, 
lazy  half-breeds.  This  affair  happened  while  we  were  at 
San  Pedro,  (the  port  of  the  Pueblo,)  and  we  had  all  the 
particulars  directly  from  those  who  were  on  the  spot.  A 
few  months  afterwards,  another  man,  whom  we  had  often 
seen  in  San  Diego,  murdered  a man  and  his  wife  on  the 
high  road  between  the  Pueblo  and  San  Louis  Rey,  and  the 
foreigners  not  feeling  themselves  called  upon  to  act  in 
this  case,  the  parties  being  all  natives,  nothing  was  done 
about  it ; and  I frequently  afterwards  saw  the  murderer  in 
San  Diego,  where  he  was  living  with  his  wife  and  family. 

When  a crime  has  been  committed  by  Indians,  justice, 
or  rather  vengeance,  is  not  so  tardy.  One  Sunday  after- 
noon, while  I was  at  San  Diego,  an  Indian  was  sitting  on 
his  horse,  when  another,  with  whom  he  had  had  some  dif- 
ficulty, came  up  to  him,  drew  a long  knife,  and  plunged 
it  directly  into  the  horse’s  heart.  The  Indian  sprang  from 
his  falling  horse,  drew  out  the  knife,  and  plunged  it  into 
the  other  Indian’s  breast,  over  his  shoulder,  and  laid  him 
qead.  The  poor  fellow  was  seized  at  once,  clapped  into 
the  calabozo,  and  kept  there  until  an  answer  could  be  re- 
ceived from  Monterey.  A few  weeks  afterwards,  I saw 
the  poor  wretch,  sitting  on  the  bare  ground,  in  front  of 
the  calabozo,  with  his  feet  chained  to  a stake,  and  hand- 
cuffs about  his  wrists.  I knew  there  was  very  little  hope 
for  him.  Although  the  deed  was  done  in  hot  blood,  the 
horse  on  which  he  was  sitting  being  his  own,  and  a great 
favorite,  yet  he  was  an  Indian,  and  that  was  enough.  In 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


162 

about  a week  after  I saw  him,  I heard  that  he  had  been 
shot.  These  few  instances  will  serve  to  give  one  a notion 
of  the  distribution  of  justice  in  California. 

In  their  domestic  relations,  these  people  are  no  better 
than  in  their  public.  The  men  are  thriftless,  proud,  and 
extravagant,  and  very  much  given  to  gaming ; and  the  wo- 
men have  but  little  education,  and  a good  deal  of  beauty, 
and  their  morality,  of  course,  is  none  of  the  best ; yet  the 
instances  of  infidelity  are  much  less  frequently  than  one 
would  at  first  suppose.  In  fact,  one  vice  is  set  over 
against  another ; and  thus,  something  like  a balance  is 
obtained.  The  women  have  but  little  virtue,  but  then 
the  jealousy  of  their  husbands  is  extreme,  and  their  revenge 
deadly  and  almost  certain.  A few  inches  of  cold  steel  has 
been  the  punishment  of  many  an  unwary  man,  who  has  been 
guilty,  perhaps,  of  nothing  more  than  indiscretion  of  man- 
ner. The  difficulties  of  the  attempt  are  numerous,  and  the 
consequences  of  discovery  fatal.  With  the  unmarried  wo- 
men too,  great  watchfulness  is  used.  The  main  object  of  the 
parents  is  to  marry  their  daughters  well,  and  to  this,  the 
slightest  slip  would  be  fatal.  The  sharp  eyes  of  a duenna, 
and  the  cold  steel  of  a father  or  brother,  are  a protection 
which  the  characters  of  most  of  them — men  and  women — 
render  by  no  means  useless  ; for  the  very  men  who  would 
lay  down  their  lives  to  avenge  the  dishonor  of  their  own 
family,  would  risk  the  same  lives  to  complete  the  dishonor 
of  another. 

Of  the  poor  Indians,  very  little  care  is  taken.  The 
priests,  indeed,  at  the  missions,  are  said  to  keep  them 
very  strictly,  and  some  rules  are  usually  made  by  the 
alcaldes  to  punish  their  misconduct  ; but  it  all  amounts 
to  but  little.  Indeed,  to  show  the  entire  want  of  any 
sense  of  morality  or  domestic  duty  among  them,  I have 
frequently  known  an  Indian  to  bring  his  wife,  to  whom 
he  was  lawfully  married  in  the  church,  down  to  the  beach, 
and  carry  her  back  again,  dividing  with  her  the  money 
which  she  had  got  from  the  sailors.  If  any  of  the  girls 
were  discovered  by  the  alcalde  to  be  open  evil-livers, 
they  were  whipped,  and  kept  at  work  sweeping  the  square 
of  the  presidio,  and  carrying  mud  and  bricks  for  the  build- 
ings ; yet  a few  reals  would  generally  buy  them  off.  In- 
temperance, too,  is  a common  vice  among  the  Indians* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


i63 

The  Spaniards,  on  the  contrary,  are  very  abstemious,  and 
I do  not  remember  ever  having  seen  a Spaniard  intoxi- 
cated. 

Such  are  the  people  who  inhabit  a country  embracing 
four  or  five  hundred  miles  of  sea-coast,  with  several  good 
harbors  ; with  fine  forests  in  the  north ; the  waters  filled 
with  fish,  and  the  plains  covered  with  thousands  of  herds 
of  cattle  ; blessed  with  a climate,  than  which  there  can  be 
no  better  in  the  world;  free  from  all  manner  of  diseases, 
whether  epidemic  or  endemic  ; and  with  a soil  in  which  corn 
yields  from  seventy  to  eighty  fold.  In  the  hands  of  an  enter- 
prising people,  what  a country  this  might  be ! we  are 
ready  to  say.  Yet  how  long  would  a people  remain  so,  in 
such  a country  ? The  Americans  (as  those  from  the 
United  States  are  called)  and  Englishmen,  who  are  fast 
filling  up  the  principal  towns,  and  getting  the  trade  into 
their  hands,  are  indeed  more  industrious  and  effective 
than  the  Spaniards ; yet  their  children  are  brought  up 
Spaniards,  in  every  respect,  and  if  the  “ California  fever  ” 
(laziness)  spares  the  first  generation,  it  always  attacks  the 
second. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Saturday,  July  i8th.  This  day,  sailed  the  Mexican 
hermaphrodite  brig,  Fazio,  for  San  Bias  and  Mazatlan. 
This  was  the  brig  which  was  driven  ashore  at  San  Pedro 
in  a southeaster,  and  had  been  lying  at  San  Diego  to 
repair  and  take  in  her  cargo.  The  owner  of  her  had 
had  a good  deal  of  difficulty  with  the  government  about  the 
duties,  etc.,  and  her  sailing  had  been  delayed  for  several 
weeks  ; but  everything  having  been  arranged,  she  got  un- 
der weigh  with  a light  breeze,  and  was  floating  out  of  the 
harbor,  when  two  horsemen  came  dashing**  down  to  the 
beach,  at  full  speed,  and  tried  to  find  a boat  to  put  off 
after  her ; but  there  being  none  on  the  beach,  they  offered 
a handful  of  silver  to  any  Kanaka  who  would  swim  off 
and  take  a letter  on  board.  One  of  the  Kanakas,  a fine, 
active,  well-made  young  fellow,  instantly  threw  off  every- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


164 

thing  but  his  duck  trowsers,  and  putting  the  letter  into 
his  hat,  swam  off,  after  the  vessel.  Fortunately,  the  wind 
was  very  light  and  the  vessel  was  going  slowly,  so  that, 
although  she  was  nearly  a mile  off  when  he  started,  he 
gained  on  her  rapidly.  He  went  through  the  water  leaving 
a wake  like  a small  steamboat.  I certainly  never  saw  such 
swimming  before.  They  saw  him  coming  from  the  deck, 
but  did  not  heave-to,  suspecting  the  nature  of  his  errand ; 
yet,  the  wind  continuing  light,  he  swam  alongside  and  got 
on  board,  and  delivered  his  letter.  The  captain  read  the 
letter,  told  the  Kanaka  there  was  no  answer,  and  giving 
him  a glass  of  brandy,  left  him  to  jump  overboard  and  find 
the  best  of  his  way  to  the  shore.  The  Kanaka  swam  in 
for  the  nearest  point  of  land,  and,  in  about  an  hour,  made 
his  appearance  at  the  hide-house.  He  did  not  seem  at  all 
fatigued,  had  made  three  or  four  dollars,  got  a glass  of 
brandy,  and  was  in  fine  spirits.  The  brig  kept  on  her 
course,  and  the  government  officers,  who  had  come  down 
to  forbid  her  sailing,  went  back,  each  with  something  like 
a flea  in  his  ear,  having  depended  upon  extorting  a little 
more  money  from  the  owner. 

It  was  now  nearly  three  months  since  the  Alert  arrived 
at  Santa  Barbara,  and  we  began  to  expect  her  daily. 
About  a half  a mile  behind  the  hide-house,  was  a high  hill ; 
and  every  afternoon,  as  soon  as  we  had  done  our  work, 
some  one  of  us  walked  up  to  see  if  there  were  any  sail  in 
sight,  coming  down  before  the  regular  trades,  which  blow 
every  afternoon.  Each  day,  after  the  latter  part  of  July, 
we  went  up  the  hill,  and  came  back  disappointed.  I was 
anxious  for  her  arrival,  for  I had  been  told  by  letter  that 
the  owners  in  Boston,  at  the  request  of  my  friends,  had 

written  to  Captain  T to  take  me  on  board  the  Alert,  in 

case  she  returned  to  the  United  States  before  the  Pilgrim.; 
and  I,  of  course,  wished  to  know  whether  the  order  had 
been  received,  and  what  was  the  destination  of  the  ship. 
One  year  more  or  less  might  be  of  small  consequence  to 
others,  but  it  was  everything  to  me.  It  was  now  just  a 
year  since  we  sailed  from  Boston,  and  at  the  shortest,  no 
vessel  could  expect  to  get  away  under  eight  or  nine  months, 
which  would  make  our  absence  two  years  in  all.  This 
would  be  pretty  long,  but  would  not  be  fatal  It  would  not 
necessarily  be  decisive  of  my  future  life.  But  one  year 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  165 

more  would  settle  the  matter.  I should  be  a sailor  for 
life  ; although  I had  made  up  my  mind  to  it  before  I had 
my  letters  from  home,  and  was,  as  I thought,  quite  satisfied  ; 
yet,  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  was  held  out  to  me  of 
returning,  and  the  prospect  of  another  kind  of  life  was 
opened  to  me,  my  anxiety  to  return,  and,  at  least,  to  have 
the  chance  of  deciding  upon  my  course  for  myself,  was 
beyond  measure.  Beside  that,  I wished  to  be  “ equal  to 
either  fortune,”  and  to  qualify  myself  for  an  officer’s  berth, 
and  a hide-house  was  no  place  to  learn  seamanship  in.  I 
had  become  experienced  in  hide-curing,  and  everything 
went  on  smoothly,  and  I had  many  opportunities  of  becom- 
ing acquainted  with  the  people,  and  much  leisure  for  read- 
ing and  studying  navigation  ; yet  practical  seamanship 
could  only  be  got  on  board  ship;  I,  therefore,  determined  to 
ask  to  be  taken  on  board  the  ship  when  she  arrived.  By 
the  first  of  August,  we  finished  curing  all  our  hides,  stored 
them  away,  cleaned  out  our  vats,  (in  which  latter  work  we 
spent  two  days,  up  to  our  knees  in  mud  and  the  sediments 
of  six  months’  hide-curing,  in  a stench  which  would  drive 
an  Irishman  from  his  breakfast,)  and  got  in  readiness  for  the 
arrival  of  the  ship,  and  had  another  leisure  interval  of  three 
or  four  weeks  ; which  I spent,  as  usual,  in  reading,  writing, 
studying,  making  and  mending  my  clothes,  and  getting  my 
wardrobe  in  complete  readiness,  in  case  I should  go  on 
board  the  ship  ; and  in  fishing,  ranging  the  woods  with  the 
dogs,  and  in  occasional  visits  to  the  presidio  and  mission. 
A good  deal  of  my  time  was  spent  in  taking  care  of  a little 
puppy,  which  I had  selected  from  thirty-six,  that  were  born 
within  three  days  of  one  another,  at  our  house.  He  was  a 
fine,  promising  pup,  with  four  white  paws,  and  all  the  rest 
of  his  body  of  a dark  brown.  I built  a little  kennel  for 
him,  and  kept  him  fastened  there,  away  from  the  other 
dogs,  feeding  and  disciplining  him  myself.  In  a few  weeks, 
I got  him  in  complete  subjection,  and  he  grew  finely,  was 
very  much  attached  to  me,  and  bid  fair  to  be  one  of  the 
leading  dogs  on  the  beach.  I called  him  Bravo,  and  the 
only  thing  I regretted  at  the  thought  of  leaving  the  beach, 
was  parting  with  him. 

Day  after  day,  we  went  up  the  hill,  but  no  ship  was  to 
be  seen,  and  we  began  to  form  all  sorts  of  conjectures  as 
to  her  whereabouts  ; and  the  theme  of  every  evening’s  con- 


1 66  TWO  YEARS  'j&KFOHSE  THE  MAST 

versation  at  the  different  houses,  and  in  our  afternoon’s 
paseo  upon  the  beach,  was,  the  ship — where  she  could  be 
— had  she  been  to  San  Francisco  ? — how  many  hides  she 
would  bring,  etc.  etc. 

Tuesday \ August  25 th.  This  morning,  the  officers  in 
charge  of  our  house  went  off  beyond  the  point  a fishing, 
in  a small  canoe,  with  two  Kanakas  ; and  we  were  sitting 
quietly  in  our  room  at  the  hide-house,  when,  just  before 
noon,  we  heard  a complete  yell  of  “ Sail  ho  ! ” breaking 
out  from  all  parts  of  the  beach,  at  once, — from  the  Kan- 
akas’ oven  to  the  Rosa’s  house.  In  an  instant,  every  one 
was  out  of  his  house  ; and  there  was  a fine,  tall  ship,  with 
royals  and  skysails  set,  bending  over  before  the  strong 
afternoon  breeze,  and  coming  rapidly  round  the  point. 
Her  yards  were  braced  sharp  up  * every  sail  was  set,  and 
drew  well ; the  Yankee  ensign  was  flying  from  her  mizen- 
peak ; and  having  the  tide  in  her  favor,  she  came  up  like 
a race-horse.  It  was  nearly  six  months  since  a new  vessel 
had  entered  San  Diego,  and  of  course,  every  one  was  on  the 
qui-vive . She  certainly  made  a fine  appearance.  Her  light  sails 
were  taken  in,  as  she  passed  the  low,  sandy  tongue  of  land, 
and  clewing  up  her  head  sails,  she  rounded  handsomely  to, 
under  her  mizen  topsail,  and  let  go  the  anchor  at  about  a 
cable’s  length  from  the  shore.  In  a few  minutes,  the  top- 
sail yards  were  manned,  and  all  three  of  the  topsails 
furled  at  once.  From  the  fore-top-gallant  yard,  the  men 
slid  down  the  stay  to  furl  the  jib,  and  from  the  mizen  top- 
gallant yard,  by  the  stay,  into  the  main-top,  and  thence  to 
the  yard ; and  the  men  on  the  topsail  yards  came  down 
the  lifts  to  the  yard-arms  of  the  courses.  The  sails  were 
furled  with  great  care,  the  bunts  triced  up  by  jiggers,  and 
the  jibs  stowed  in  cloth.  The  royal  yards  were  then 
struck,  tackles  got  upon  the  yard-arms  and  the  stay,  the 
long-boat  hoisted  out,  a large  anchor  carried  astern,  and 
the  ship  moored.  Then  the  captain’s  gig  was  lowered 
away  from  the  quarter  and  a boat’s  crew  of  fine  lads,  be- 
tween the  ages  of  fourteen  and  eighteen,  pulled  the  cap- 
tain ashore.  The  gig  was  a light  whale-boat,  handsomely 
painted  and  fitted  up  with  cushions,  etc.,  in  the  stern 
sheets.  We  immediately  attacked  the  boat’s  crew,  and 
got  very  thick  with  them  in  a few  minutes.  We  had  much 
to  ask  about  Boston,  their  passage  out,  etc.,  and  they 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  167 

were  very  curious  to  know  about  the  life  we  were  leading 
upon  the  beach.  One  of  them  offered  to  exchange  with 
me ; which  was  just  what  I wanted ; and  we  had  only  to 
get  the  permission  of  the  captain. 

After  dinner,  the  crew  began  discharging  their  hides, 
and,  as  we  had  nothing  to  do  at  the  hide-houses,  we  were 
ordered  aboard  to  help  them.  I had  now  my  first  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  the  ship  which  I hoped  was  to  be  my  home 
for  the  next  year.  She  looked  as  well  on  board  as  she 
did  from  without.  Her  decks  were  wide  and  roomy,  (there 
being  no  poop,  or  house  on  deck,  which  disfigures  the  after 
part  of  most  of  our  vessels,)  flush,  fore  and  aft,  and  as 
white  as  snow,  which  the  crew  told  us  was  from  constant 
use  of  holystones.  There  was  no  foolish  gilding  and  ginger- 
bread work,  to  take  the  eye  of  landsmen  and  passengers, 
but  everything  was  “ ship-shape  and  Bristol  fashion.”  There 
was  no  rust,  no  dirt,  no  rigging  hanging  slack,  no  fag  ends 
of  ropes  and  “ Irish  pendants  ” aloft,  and  the  yards  were 
squared  “to  a /”  by  lifts  and  braces.  The  mate  was  a 
fine,  hearty,  noisy  fellow,  with  a voice  like  a lion,  and  al- 
ways wide  awake.  He  was  “a  man,  every  inch  of  him,” 
as  the  sailors  said  ; and  though  “ a bit  of  a horse,”  and 
“ a hard  customer,”  yet  he  was  generally  liked  by  the  crew. 
There  was  also  a second  and  third  mate,  a carpenter,  sail- 
maker,  steward,  cook,  etc.,  and  twelve,  including  boys, 
before  the  mast.  She  had,  on  board,  seven  thousand 
hides,  which  she  had  collected  at  tne  windward,  and  also 
horns  and  tallow.  All  these  we  began  discharging,  from 
both  gangways  at  once,  into  the  twc  boats,  the  second 
mate  having  charge  of  the  launch,  and  the  third  mat* 
of  the  pinnace.  For  several  days,  we  were  employed  in 
this  way,  until  all  the  hides  were  tak*n  out,  when  the 
crew  began  taking  in  ballast,  and  we  returned  to  our  old 
work,  hide-curing. 

Saturday , Aug.  29th.  Arrived,  brig  Catalina,  from  the 
windward. 

Sunday  $oth.  This  was  the  first  Sunday  that  the  crew 
had  been  in  San  Diego,  and  of  course  they  were  all  for 
going  up  to  see  the  town.  The  Indians  came  down  early, 
with  horses  to  let  for  the  day,  and  all  the  crew,  who  could 
obtain  liberty,  went  off  to  the  presidio  and  mission,  and 
did  not  return  until  night.  I had  seen  enough  of  San 


1 68 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


Diego,  and  went  on  board  and  spent  the  day  with  some  of 
the  crew,  whom  I found  quietly  at  work  in  the  forecastle, 
mending  and  washing  their  clothes,  and  reading  and  writ- 
ing. They  told  me  that  the  ship  stopped  at  Callao  in  the 
passage  out,  and  there  lay  three  weeks.  She  had  a pas- 
sage of  a little  over  eighty  days  from  Boston  to  Callao, 
which  is  one  of  the  shortest  on  record.  There  they  left 
the  Brandywine  frigate,  and  other  smaller  American  ships 
of  war,  and  the  English  frigate  Blonde,  and  a French 
seventy-four.  From  Callao  they  came  directly  to  Califor- 
nia, and  had  visited  every  port  on  the  coast,  including  San 
Fraixdsco.  The  forecastle  in  which  they  lived  was  large, 
tolerably  well  lighted  by  bulls-eyes,  and,  being  kept  per- 
fectly clean,  had  quite  a comfortable  appearance  ; at  least, 
it  was  far  better  than  the  little,  black,  dirty  hole  in  which 
I had  lived  so  many  months  on  board  the  Pilgrim.  By  the 
regulations  of  the  ship,  the  forecastle  was  cleaned  out 
every  morning,  and  the  crew,  being  very  neat,  kept  it  clean 
by  some  regulations  of  their  own,  such  as  having  a large 
spit-box  always  under  the  steps  and  between  the  bits,  and 
obliging  every  man  to  hang  up  his  wet  clothes,  etc.  In 
addition  to  this,  it  was  holystoned  every  Saturday  morning. 
In  the  after  part  of  the  ship  was  a handsome  cabin,  a din- 
ing-room, and  a trade-room,  fitted  out  with  shelves  and 
furnished  with  all  sorts  of  goods.  Between  these  and  the 
forecastle  was  the  “ between-decks,”  as  high  as  the  gun 
deck  of  a frigate ; being  six  feet  and  a half,  under  the 
beams.  These  between-decks  were  holystoned  regularly, 
and  kept  in  the  most  perfect  order  ; the  carpenter’s  bench 
and  tools  being  in  one  part,  the  sailmaker’s  in  another, 
and  a boatswain’s  locker,  with  the  spare  rigging,  in  a third. 
A part  of  the  crew  slept  here,  in  hammocks  swung  fore 
and  aft  from  the  beams,  and  triced  up  every  morning. 
The  sides  of  the  between-decks  were  clapboarded,  the  knees 
and  stanchions  of  iron,  and  the  latter  made  to  unship. 
The  crew  said  she  was  as  tight  as  a drum,  and  a fine  sea 
boat,  her  only  fault  being,  that  of  most  fast  ships, — that 
she  was  wet  forward.  When  she  was  going,  as  she  some- 
times would,  eight  or  nine  knots  on  a wind,  there  would 
not  be  a dry  spot  forward  of  the  gangway.  The  men  told 
great  stories  of  her  sailing,  and  had  great  confidence  in 
her  as  a “ lucky  ship.”  She  was  seven  years  old,  and  had 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  169 

always  been  in  the  Canton  trade,  and  never  had  met  with  an 
accident  of  any  consequence,  and  had  never  made  a pas- 
sage that  was  not  shorter  than  the  average.  The  third 
mate,  a young  man  of  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  nephew 
of  one  of  the  owners,  had  been  in  the  ship  from  a small 
boy,  and  “believed  in  the  ship;’’  and  the  chief  mate 
thought  more  of  her  than  he  would  of  a wife  and  family. 

The  ship  lay  about  a week  longer  in  port,  when,  having 
discharged  her  cargo  and  taken  in  ballast,  she  prepared 
to  get  under  weigh.  I now  made  my  application  to  the 
captain  to  go  on  board.  He  told  me  that  I could  go  home 
in  the  ship  when  she  sailed  (which  I knew  before)  ; and 
finding  that  I wished  to  be  on  board  while  she  was  on  the 
coast,  said  he  had  no  objection,  if  I could  find  one  of  my 
own  age  to  exchange  with  me,  for  the  time.  This,  I easily 
accomplished,  for  they  were  glad  to  change  the  scene  by  \ 
few  months  on  shore,  and,  moreover,  escape  the  winter  and 
the  southeasters  ; and  I went  on  board  the  next  day,  with 
my  chest  and  hammock,  and  found  myself  once  more 
afloat. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Tuesday,  Sept.  8th.  This  was  my  first  day's  duty  on 
board  the  ship  ; and  though  a sailor’s  life  is  a sailor’s  life 
wherever  it  may  be,  yet  I found  everything  very  different 
here  from  the  customs  of  the  brig  Pilgrim.  After  all  hands 
were  called,  at  daybreak,  three  minutes  and  a half  were 
allowed  for  every  man  to  dress  and  come  on  deck,  and  if 
any  were  longer  than  that,  they  were  sure  to  be  overhauled 
by  the  mate,  who  was  always  on  deck,  and  making  himself 
heard  all  over  the  ship.  The  head-pump  was  then  rigged, 
and  the  decks  washed  down  by  the  second  and  third  mates; 
the  chief  mate  walking  the  quarter-deck  and  keeping  a 
general  supervision,  but  not  deigning  to  touch  a bucket  or 
a brush.  Inside  and  out,  fore  and  aft,  upper  deck  and 
between-decks,  steerage  and  forecastle,  rail  bulwarks,  and 
water-ways,  were  washed,  scrubbed  and  scraped  with 
brooms  and  canvas,  and  the  decks  were  wet  and  sanded 


170 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


all  over,  and  then  holystoned.  The  holystone  is  a large, 
soft  stone,  smooth  on  the  bottom,  with  long  ropes  attached 
to  each  end,  by  which  the  crew  keep  it  sliding  fore  and 
aft,  over  the  wet  sanded  decks.  Smaller  hand-stones, 
which  the  sailors  called  “ prayer-books,”  are  used  to  scrub 
in  among  the  crevices  and  narrow  places,  where  the  large 
holystone  will  not  go.  An  hour  or  two,  we  were  kept  at 
this  work,  when  the  head-pump  was  manned,  and  all  the 
sand  washed  off  the  decks  and  sides.  Then  came  swabs 
and  squilgees;  and  after  the  decks  were  dry,  each  one 
went  to  his  particular  morning  job.  There  were  five  boats 
belonging  to  the  ship, — launch,  pinnace,  jolly-boat,  lar- 
board quarter-boat,  and  gig, — each  of  which  had  a coxswain, 
who  had  charge  of  it  and  was  answerable  for  the  order 
and  cleanness  of  it.  The  rest  of  the  cleaning  was  divided 
among  the  crew ; one  having  the  brass  and  composition 
work  about  the  capstan ; another  the  bell,  which  was  of 
brass,  and  kept  as  bright  as  a gilt  button  ; a third,  the  har- 
ness-cask ; another,  the  man-rope  stanchions  ; others,  the 
steps  of  the  forecastle  and  hatchways,  which  were  hauled 
up  and  holystoned.  Each  of  these  jobs  must  be  finished 
before  breakfast ; and  in  the  meantime,  the  rest  of  the 
crew  filled  the  scuttle-butt,  and  the  cook  scraped  his  kids 
( wooden  tubs  out  of  which  the  sailors  eat  ) and  polished  the 
hoops,  and  placed  them  before  the  galley,  to  await  inspec- 
tion. When  the  decks  were  dry,  the  lord  paramount  made 
his  appearance  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  took  a few  turns, 
when  eight  bells  were  struck,  and  all  hands  went  to  break- 
fast. Half  an  hour  was  allowed  for  breakfast,  when  all 
hands  were  called  again  ; the  kids,  pots,  bread-bags,  etc., 
stowed  away  ; and  this  morning,  preparations  were  made 
for  getting  under  weigh.  We  paid  out  on  the  chain  by  which 
we  swung ; hove  in  on  the  other ; catted  the  anchor ; and 
hove  short  on  the  first.  This  work  was  done  in  shorter 
time  than  was  usual  on  board  the  brig ; for  though  every- 
thing was  more  than  twice  as  large  and  heavy,  the  cat-block 
being  as  much  as  a man  could  lift,  and  the  chain  as  large 
as  three  of  the  Pilgrim’s,  yet  there  was  a plenty  of  room  to 
move  about  in,  more  discipline  and  system,  more  men  and 
more  good  will.  Every  one  seemed  ambitious  to  do  his 
best : officers  and  men  knew  their  duty,  and  all  went  well. 
As  soon  as  she  was  hove  short,  the  mate,  on  the  forecastle, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


I?* 

gave  the  order  to  loose  the  sails,  and,  in  an  instant,  every 
one  sprung  into  the  rigging,  up  the  shrouds,  and  out  on  the 
yards,  scrambling  by  one  another, — the  first  up  the  best 
fellow, — cast  off  the  yard-arm  gaskets  and  bunt  gaskets,  and 
one  man  remained  on  each  yard,  holding  the  bunt  jiggei 
with  a turn  round  the  tye,  all  ready  to  let  go,  while  the 
rest  laid  down  to  man  the  sheets  and  halyards.  The  mate 
then  hailed  the  yards — “ All  ready  forward  ? ” — “ All  ready 
the  cross-jack  yards ?”  etc.  etc.;  and  “Aye,  aye,  sir!” 
being  returned  from  each,  the  word  was  given  to  let  go ; 
and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  the  ship,  which  had  shown 
nothing  but  her  bare  yards,  was  covered  with  her  loose 
canvass,  from  the  royal-mast-heads  to  the  decks.  Every 
one  then  laid  down,  except  one  man  in  each  top,  to  over- 
haul the  rigging,  and  the  top  sails  were  hoisted  and  sheeted 
home ; all  three  yards  going  to  the  mast-head  at  once,  the 
larboard  watch  hoisting  the  fore,  the  starboard  watch  the 
main,  and  five  light  hands,  ( of  whom  I was  one,)  picked 
from  the  two  watches,  the  mizen.  The  yards  were  then 
trimmed,  the  anchor  weighed,  the  cat-block  hooked  on,  the 
fall  stretched  out,  manned  by  “ all  hands  and  the  cook,” 
and  the  anchor  brought  to  the  head  with  “ cheerily  men  ! ” 
in  full  chorus.  The  ship  being  now  under  weigh,  the  light 
sails  were  set,  one  after  another,  and  she  was  under  full 
sail,  before  she  had  passed  the  sandy  point.  The  fore 
royal,  which  fell  to  my  lot,  (being  in  the  mate’s  watch, ) was 
more  than  twice  as  large  as  that  of  the  Pilgrim,  and,  though 
I could  handle  the  brig’s  easily,  I found  my  hands  full, 
with  this,  especially  as  there  were  no  Jacks  to  the  ship; 
everything  being  for  neatness,  and  nothing  left  for  Jack  to 
hold  on  by,  but  his  eyelids. 

As  soon  as  we  were  beyond  the  point,  and  all  sail  out, 
the  order  was  given,  “ Go  below  the  watch  ? ” and  the 
crew  said  that,  ever  since  they  had  been  on  the  coast,  they 
had  had  “ watch  and  watch,”  while  going  from  port  to  port ; 
and,  in  fact,  everything  showed  that,  though  strict  discipline 
was  kept,  and  the  utmost  was  required  of  every  man,  in  the 
way  of  his  duty,  yet,  on  the  whole,  there  was  very  good 
usage  on  board.  Each  one  knew  that  he  must  be  a man, 
and  show  himself  smart  when  at  his  duty,  yet  every  one 
was  satisfied  with  the  usage  ; and  a contented  crew, 
agreeing  with  one  another,  and  finding  no  fault,  was  a con- 


172 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


trast  indeed  with  the  small,  hard-used,  dissatisfied,  grum- 
bling, desponding  crew  of  the  Pilgrim. 

It  being  the  turn  of  our  watch  to  go  below,  the  men 
went  to  work,  mending  their  clothes,  and  doing  other 
little  things  for  themselves  ; and  I,  having  got  my  ward- 
robe in  complete  order  at  San  Diego,  had  nothing  to  do 
but  to  read.  I accordingly  overhauled  the  chests  of  the 
crew,  but  found  nothing  that  suited  me  exactly,  until  one 
of  the  men  said  he  had  a book  which  “ told  all  about  a 
great  highwayman, ” at  the  bottom  of  his  chest,  and  produc- 
ing it,  I found,  to  my  surprise  and  joy,  that  it  was  noth- 
ing else  than  Bulwer's  Paul  Clifford.  This,  I seized  im- 
mediately, and  going  to  my  hammock,  lay  there,  swing- 
ing and  reading,  until  the  watch  was  out.  The  between- 
decks  were  clear,  the  hatchways  open,  and  a cool  breeze 
blowing  through  them,  the  ship  under  easy  way,  and  every- 
thing comfortable.  I had  just  got  well  into  the  story, 
when  eight  bells  were  struck,  and  we  were  all  ordered  to 
dinner.  After  dinner  come  our  watch  on  deck  for  four 
hours,  and,  at  four  o'clock,  I went  below  again,  turned 
into  my  hammock,  and  read  until  the  dog  watch.  As  no 
lights  were  allowed  after  eight  o'clock,  there  was  no  read- 
ing in  the  night  watch.  Having  light  winds  and  calms, 
we  were  three  days  on  the  passage,  and  each  watch 
below,  during  the  daytime,  I spent  in  the  same  manner, 
until  I had  finished  my  book.  I shall  never  forget  the 
enjoyment  I derived  from  it.  To  come  across  anything 
with  the  slightest  claims  to  literary  merit,  was  so  unusual, 
that  this  was  a perfect  feast  to  me.  The  brilliancy  of  the 
book,  the  succession  of  capital  hits,  lively  and  characteristic 
sketches,  kept  me  in  a constant  state  of  pleasing  sensations. 
It  was  far  too  good  for  a sailor.  I could  not  expect  such 
fine  times  to  last  long. 

While  on  deck,  the  regular  work  of  the  ship  went  on. 
The  sailmaker  and  carpenter  worked  between  decks,  and 
the  crew  had  their  work  to  do  upon  the  rigging,  drawing 
yarns,  making  spun-yarn,  etc.,  as  usual  in  merchantmen. 
The  night  watches  were  much  more  pleasant  than  on 
board  the  Pilgrim.  There,  there  were  so  few  in  a watch,  that, 
one  being  at  the  wheel,  and  another  on  the  look-out, 
there  was  no  one  left  to  talk  with  ; but  here,  we  had  seven 
in  a watch,  so  that  we  had  long  yarns,  in  abundance.  After 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


173 


two  or  three  night  watches,  I became  quite  well  acquainted 
with  all  the  larboard  watch.  The  sailmaker  was  the  head 
man  of  the  watch,  and  was  generally  considered  the  most 
experienced  seaman  on  board.  He  was  a thoroughbred 
old  man-of-war’s-man,  had  been  to  sea  twenty-two  years,  in 
all  kinds  of  vessels, -men-of-war,  privateers,  slavers  and  mer- 
chantmen ; — everything  except  whalers,  which  a thorough 
sailor  despises,  and  will  always  steer  clear  of  if  he  can. 
He  had,  of  course,  been  in  all  parts  of  the  world, 
and  was  remarkable  for  drawing  a long  bow.  His  yarns 
frequently  stretched  through  a watch,  and  kept  all  hands 
awake.  They  were  always  amusing  from  their  improba- 
bility, and,  indeed  he  never  expected  to  be  believed,  but 
spun  them  merely  for  amusement  ; and  as  he  had  some 
humor  and  a good  supply  of  man-of-war  slang  and  sailor’s 
salt  phrases,  he  always  made  fun.  Next  to  him  in  age 
and  experience,  and,  of  course,  in  standing  in  the  watch 
was  an  Englishman,  named  Harris,  of  whom  I shall  have 
more  to  say  hereafter.  Then,  came  two  or  three  Ameri- 
cans, who  had  been  the  common  run  of  European  and 
South  American  voyages,  and  one  who  had  been  in  a 
" spouter,”  and,  of  course,  had  all  the  whaling  stories  to 
himself.  Last  of  all,  was  a broad-backed,  thick-headed 
boy  from  Cape  Cod,  who  had  been  in  mackerel  schooners, 
and  was  making  his  first  voyage  in  a square-rigged  vessel. 
He  was  born  in  Higham,  and  of  course  was  called 
“ Bucketmaker.”  The  other  watch  was  composed  of  about 
the  same  number.  A tall,  fine  looking  Frenchman,  with  coal 
black  whiskers  and  curly  hair,  a first-rate  seaman,  and 
named  John  (one  name  is  enough  for  a sailor,)  was  the  head 
man  of  the  watch.  Then  came  two  Americans,  (one  of 
whom  had  been  a dissipated  young  man  of  property  and 
family,  and  was  reduced  to  duck  trowsers  and  monthly 
wages,)  a German,  an  English  lad,  named  Ben,  who  be- 
longed on  the  mizen  topsail  yard  with  me,  and  was  a good 
sailor  for  his  years,  and  two  Boston  boys  just  from  the 
public  schools.  The  carpenter  sometimes  mustered  in  the 
starboard  watch,  and  was  an  old  sea-dog,  a Swede  by 
birth,  and  accounted  the  best  helmsman  in  the  ship. 
This  was  our  ship’s  company,  beside  cook  and  steward, 
who  were  blacks,  three  mates,  and  the  captain. 

The  second  day  out,  the  wind  drew  ahead,  and  we  had 


174 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


to  beat  up  the  coast ; so  that,  in  tacking  ship,  I could  see 
the  regulations  of  the  vessel.  Instead  of  going  wherever 
was  most  convenient,  and  running  from  place  to  place, 
wherever  work  was  to  be  done,  each  man  had  his  station. 
A regular  tacking  and  wearing  bill  was  made  out.  The 
chief  mate  commanded  on  the  forecastle,  and  had  charge 
of  the  head  sails  and  the  forward  part  of  the  ship.  Two 
of  the  best  men  in  the  ship — the  sailmaker  from  our  watch, 
and  John,  the  Frenchman,  from  the  other,  worked  the  fore- 
castle. The  third  mate  commanded  in  the  waist,  and,  with 
the  carpenter  and  one  man,  worked  the  main  tack  and 
bowline  ; the  cook,  ex-officio , the  fore  sheet,  and  the  steward 
the  main.  The  second  mate  had  charge  of  the  after  yards, 
and  let  go  the  lee  fore  and  main  braces.  I was  stationed 
at  the  weather  cross-jack  braces;  three  other  light  hands 
at  the  lee  ; one  boy  at  the  spanker-sheet  and  guy ; a man 
and  a boy  at  the  main  topsail,  top-gallant,  and  royal  braces  ; 
and  all  the  rest  of  the  crew — men  and  boys — tallied  on  to 
the  main  brace.  Every  one  here  knew  his  station,  must 
be  there  when  all  hands  were  called  to  put  the  ship  about, 
and  was  answerable  for  every  rope  committed  to  him. 
Each  man’s  rope  must  be  let  go  and  hauled  in  at  the  order, 
properly  made  fast,  and  neatly  coiled  away  when  the  ship 
was  about.  As  soon  as  all  hands  are  at  their  stations,  the 
captain,  who  stands  on  the  weather  side  of  the  quarter- 
deck, makes  a sign  to  the  man  at  the  wheel  to  put  it  down, 
and  calls  out  “ Helm’s  a lee’ ! ” “ Helm’s  a lee’ ! ” answers 
the  mate  on  the  forecastle,  and  the  head  sheets  are  let  go. 
“ Raise  tacks  and  sheets  ! ” says  the  captain  ; “ tacks  and 
sheets  ! ” is  passed  forward,  and  the  fore  tack  and  main 
sheet  are  let  go.  The  next  thing  is  to  haul  taught  for  a 
swing.  The  weather  cross-jack  braces  and  the  lee  main 
braces  are  each  belayed  together  upon  two  pins,  and  ready 
to  be  let  go,  and  the  opposite  braces  hauled  taught.  “ Main 
topsail  haul ! ” shouts  the  captain  ; the  braces  are  let  go ; 
and  if  he  has  taken  his  time  well,  the  yards  swing  round 
like  a top  ; but  if  he  is  too  late,  or  too  soon,  it  is  like  draw- 
ing teeth.  The  after  yards  are  then  braced  up  and  belayed, 
the  main  sheet  hauled  aft,  the  spanker  eased  over  to  lee- 
ward, and  the  men  from  the  braces  stand  by  the  head 
yards.  “ Let  go  and  haul ! ” says  the  captain  ; the  second 
mate  lets  go  the  weather  fore  braces,  and  the  men  haul 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


I7S 


in  to  leeward.  The  mate,  on  the  forecastle,  looks  out  for 
the  head  yards.  “Well,  the  fore  topsail  yard!”  Top- 
gallant yard's  well  ! ” “ Royal  yard  too  much  ! Haul  in  to 
windward!  So!  well  that!”  “Well  all!”  Then  the 
starboard  watch  board  the  main  tack,  and  the  larboard 
watch  lay  forward  and  board  the  fore  tack  and  haul  down 
the  jib  sheet,  clapping  a tackle  upon  it,  if  it  blows  very 
fresh.  The  after  yards  are  then  trimmed,  the  captain  gen- 
erally looking  out  for  them  himself.  “Well  the  cross-jack 
yard  ! ” “ Small  pull  the  main  top-gallant  yard  ! ” “ Well 

that!”  “Well  the  mizen  topsail  yard!”  “Cross-jack 
yards  all  well!  ” “ Well  all  aft ! ” “ Haul  taught  to  wind- 

ward ! ” Everything  being  now  trimmed  and  in  order, 
^ach  man  coils  up  the  rigging  at  his  own  station,  and  the 
order  is  given — “ Go  below  the  watch  ! ” 

During  the  last  twenty-four  hours  of  the  passage,  we 
beat  off  and  on  the  land,  making  a tack  about  once  in  four 
hours,  so  that  I had  a sufficient  opportunity  to  observe  the 
working  of  the  ship ; and  certainly,  it  took  no  more  men  to 
brace  about  this  ship’s  lower  yards,  which  were  more  than 
fifty  feet  square,  than  it  did  those  of  the  Pilgrim,  which 
were  not  much  more  than  half  the  size ; so  much  depends 
upon  the  manner  in  which  the  braces  run,  and  the  state  of 
the  blocks ; and  Captain  Wilson,  of  the  Ayacucho,  who 
was  afterwards  a passenger  with  us,  upon  a trip  to  wind- 
ward, said  he  had  no  doubt  that  our  ship  worked  two  men 
lighter  than  his  brig. 

Friday , Sept.  n.  This  morning,  at  four  o’clock,  went 
below,  San  Pedro  point  being  about  two  leagues  ahead, 
and  the  ship  going  on  under  studding-sails.  In  about  an 
hour  we  wrere  waked  up  by  the  hauling  of  the  chain  about 
decks,  and  in  a few  minutes  “ All  hands  ahoy  ! ” w^as  called ; 
and  we  were  all  at  work,  hauling  in  and  making  up  the 
studding-sails,  overhauling  the  chain  forward,  and  getting 
the  anchors  ready.  “The  Pilgrim  is  there  at  anchor,”  said 
some  one,  as  we  were  running  about  decks ; and  taking  a 
moment’s  look  over  the  rail,  I saw  my  old  friend,  deeply 
laden,  lying  at  anchor  inside  of  the  kelp.  In  coming  to 
anchor,  as  well  as  in  tacking,  each  one  had  his  station  and 
duty.  The  light  sails  were  clewed  up  and  furled,  the 
courses  hauled  up,  and  the  jibs  down  ; then  came  the  top- 
sails in  the  buntlines,  and  the  anchor  let  go.  As  soon  as 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


170 

she  was  well  at  anchor,  all  hands  lay  aloft  to  furl  the  top- 
sails ; and  this,  I soon  found,  was  a great  matter  on  board 
this  ship  ; for  every  sailor  knows  that  a vessel  is  judged  of, 
a good  deal,  by  the  furl  of  her  sails.  The  third  mate,  sail- 
maker,  and  the  larboard  watch  went  upon  the  fore  topsail 
yard;  the  second  mate,  carpenter,  and  the  larboard  watch 
upon  the  main ; and  myself  and  the  English  lad,  and  the 
two  Boston  boys,  and  the  young  Cape-Cod  man,  furled  the 
mizen  topsail.  This  sail  belonged  to  us  altogether,  to  reef 
and  to  furl,  and  not  a man  was  allowed  to  come  upon  our 
yard.  The  mate  took  us  under  his  special  care,  frequently 
making  us  furl  the  sail  over,  three  or  four  times,  until  we 
got  the  bunt  up  to  a perfect  cone,  and  the  whole  sail  with- 
out a wrinkle.  As  soon  as  each  sail  was  hauled  up  and 
the  bunt  made,  the  jigger  was  bent  on  to  the  slack  of  the^ 
buntlines,  and  the  bunt  triced  up,  on  deck.  The  mate  then 
took  his  place  between  the  knight-heads  to  “ twig”  the 
fore,  on  the  windlass  to  twig  the  main,  and  at  the  foot  of 
the  main-mast,  for  the  mizen  ; and  if  anything  was  wrong, 
— too  much  bunt  on  one  side,  clues  too  taught  or  too  slack, 
or  any  sail  abaft  the  yard, — the  whole  must  be  dropped 
again.  When  all  was  right,  the  bunts  were  triced  well  up, 
the  yard-arm  gaskets  passed,  so  as  not  to  leave  a wrinkle 
forward  of  the  yard — short  gaskets  with  turns  close  to- 
gether. 

From  the  moment  of  letting  go  the  anchor,  when  the 
captain  ceases  his  care  of  things,  the  chief  mate  is  the 
great  man.  With  a voice  like  a young  lion,  he  was  halloo- 
ing and  bawling,  in  all  directions,  making  everything  fly, 
and  at  the  same  time  doing  everything  well.  He  was  quite 
a contrast  to  the  worthy,  quiet,  unobtrusive  mate  of  the 
Pilgrim  : not  so  estimable  a man,  perhaps,  but  a far  better 

mate  of  a vessel ; and  the  entire  change  in  Captain  T 

conduct,  since  he  took  command  of  the  ship,  was  owing, 
no  doubt,  in  a great  measure,  to  this  fact.  If  the  chief  of- 
ficer wants  force,  discipline  slackens,  everything  gets  out 
of  joint,  the  captain  interferes  continually  ; that  makes  a 
difficulty  between  them,  which  encourages  the  crew,  and 
the  whole  ends  in  a three-sided  quarrel.  But  Mr.  Brown 
(the  mate  of  the  Alert)  wanted  no  help  from  anybody ; took 
everything  into  his  own  hands ; and  was  more  likely  to  en- 
croach upon  the  authority  of  the  master,  than  to  need  any 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


C7 


spurring.  Captain  T gave  his  directions  to  the  mate 

in  private,  and  except  in  coming  to  anchor,  getting  under 
weigh,  tacking,  reefing  topsails,  and  other  “ all  hands-work,” 
seldom  appeared  in  person.  This  is  the  proper  state  of 
things,  and  while  this  lasts,  and  there  is  a good  under- 
standing aft,  everything  will  go  on  well. 

Having  furled  all  the  sails,  the  royal  yards  were  next 
to  be  sent  down.  The  English  lad  and  myself  sent  down 
the  main,  which  was  larger  than  the  Pilgrim’s  main  top- 
gallant yard ; two  more  light  hands,  the  fore  ; and  one  boy, 
the  mizen.  This  order,  we  always  kept  while  on  the 
coast ; sending  them  up  and  down  every  time  we  came  in 
and  went  out  of  port.  They  were  all  tripped  and  lowered 
together,  the  main  on  the  starboard  side,  and  the  fore  and 
mizen  to  port.  No  sooner  was  she  all  snug,  than  tackles 
were  got  up  on  the  yards  and  stays,  and  the  long  boat  and 
pinnace  hove  out.  The  swinging  booms  were  then  guyed 
out,  and  the  boats  made  fast  by  geswarps,  and  everything 
in  harbor  style.  After  breakfast,  the  hatches  were  taken 
off,  ancfall  got  ready  to  receive  hides  from  the  Pilgrim. 
All  day,  boats  were  passing  and  repassing,  until  we  had 
taken  her  hides  from  her,  and  left  her  in  ballast  trim.  These 
hides  made  but  little  show  in  our  hold,  though  they  had 
loaded  the  Pilgrim  down  to  the  water’s  edge.  This  chang- 
ing of  the  hides  settled  the  question  of  the  destination  of 
the  two  vessels  which  had  been  one  of  some  specula- 
tion to  us.  We  were  to  remain  in  the  leeward  ports, 
while  the  Pilgrim  was  to  sail  the  next  morning,  for  San 
Francisco.  After  we  had  knocked  off  work,  and  cleared 

up  decks  for  the  night,  my  friend  S came  on  board, 

and  spent  an  hour  with  me  in  our  berth  between  decks. 
The  Pilgrim’s  crew  envied  me  my  place  onboard  the  ship, 
and  seemed  to  think  that  I had  got  a little  to  windward  of 

them  ; especially  in  the  matter  of  going  home  first.  S 

was  determined  to  go  home  in  the  Alert,  by  begging  or 

buying  ; if  Captain  T would  not  let  him  come  on  other 

terms,  he  would  purchase  an  exchange  with  some  one  of  the 
crew.  The  prospect  of  another  year  after  the  Alert  should 
sail,  was  rather  “ too  much  of  the  monkey.”  About  seven 
o’clock,  the  mate  came  down  into  the  steerage,  in  fine  trim 
for  fun,  roused  the  boys  out  of  the  berths,  turned  up  the 
carpenter  with  his  fiddle,  sent  the  steward  with  lights  to 


i78  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

put  in  the  between  decks,  and  set  all  hands  to  dancings 
The  between  decks  were  high  enough  to  allow  of  jumping ; 
and  being  clear,  and  white,  from  holystoning,  made  a fine 
dancing  hall.  Some  of  the  Pilgrim’s  crew  were  in  the  fore- 
castle,  and  we  all  turned  to,  and  had  a regular  sailor’s 
shuffle,  till  eight  bells.  The  Cape-Cod  boy  could  dance  the 
true  fisherman’s  jig,  barefooted,  knocking  with  his  heels, 
and  slapping  the  decks  with  his  bare  feet,  in  time  with  the 
music.  This  was  a favorite  amusement  of  the  mate’s,  who 
always  stood  at  the  steerage  door,  looking  on,  and  if  the 
boys  would  not  dance,  he  hazed  them  round  with  a rope’s 
end,  much  to  the  amusement  of  the  men. 

The  next  morning,  according  to  the  orders  of  the  agent, 
the  Pilgrim  set  sail  for  the  windward,  to  be  gone  three  or 
four  months.  She  got  under  weigh  with  very  little  fuss, 
and  came  so  near  us  as  to  throw  a letter  on  board,  Cap- 
tain Faucon  standing  at  the  tiller  himself,  and  steering  her 

as  he  would  a mackerel  smack.  When  Captain  T was 

in  command  there  was  as  much  preparation  and  cgremony 
as  there  would  be  in  getting  a seventy-four  under  weigh. 
Captain  Faucon  was  a sailor,  every  inch  of  him  ; he  knew 
what  a ship  was,  and  was  as  much  at  home  in  one,  as  a 
cobbler  in  his  stall.  I wanted  no  better  proof  of  this  than 
the  opinion  of  the  ship’s  crew,  for  they  had  been  six  months 
under  his  command,  and  knew  what  he  was  ; and  if  sailors 
allow  their  captain  to  be  a good  seaman,  you  may  be  sure 
he  is  one,  for  that  is  a thing  they  are  not  always  ready  to 
say. 

After  the  Pilgrim  left  us,  we  lay  three  weeks  at  San 
Pedro,  from  the  nth  of  September  until  the  2nd  of  Octo- 
ber, engaged  in  the  usual  port  duties  of  landing  cargo, 
taking  off  hides,  etc.  etc.  These  duties  were  much  easier, 
and  went  on  much  more  agreeably,  than  on  board  the  Pil- 
grim. “ The  more,  the  merrier,”  is  the  sailor’s  maxim ; 
and  a boat’s  crew  of  a dozen  could  take  off  all  the  hides 
brought  down  in  a day,  without  much  trouble  by  a division 
of  labor  ; and  on  shore,  as  well  as  on  board,  a good  will, 
and  no  discontent  or  grumbling,  make  everything  go  well. 
The  officer,  too,  who  usually  went  with  us,  the  third  mate, 
was  a fine  young  fellow,  and  made  no  unnecessary  trouble  ; 
so  that  we  generally  had  quite  a sociable  time,  and  were 
glad  to  be  relieved  from  the  restraint  of  the  ship.  While 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


179 


here,  I often  thought  of  the  miserable,  gloomy  weeks  we 
had  spent  in  this  dull  place,  in  the  brig;  discontent  and 
hard  usage  on  board,  and  four  hands  to  do  all  the  work  on 
shore.  Give  me  a big  ship.  There  is  more  room,  more 
hands,  better  outfit,  better  regulation,  more  life  and  more 
company.  Another  thing  was  better  arranged  here  : we 
had  a regular  gig’s  crew.  A light  whale-boat,  handsomely 
painted,  and  fitted  out  with  stern  seats,  yoke,  tiller-ropes, 
etc.  hung  on  the  starboard  quarter,  and  was  used  as  the 
gig.  The  youngest  lad  in  the  ship,  a Boston  boy  about 
thirteen  years  old,  was  coxwain  of  this  boat,  and  had  the 
entire  charge  of  her,  to  keep  her'  clean,  and  have  her  in 
readiness  to  go  and  come  at  any  hour.  Four  light  hands, 
of  about  the  same  size  and  age,  of  whom  I was  one,  formed 
the  crew.  Each  had  his  oar  and  seat  numbered,  and  we 
were  obliged  to  be  in  our  places,  have  our  oars  scraped 
white,  our  thole-pins  in,  and  the  fenders  over  the  side. 
The  bowman  had  charge  of  the  boat-hook  and  painter,  and 
the  coxwain  of  the  rudder,  yoke,  and  sternsheets.  Our 
duty  was  to  carry  the  captain  and  agent  about,  and  pas- 
sengers off  and  on  ; which  last  was  no  trifling  duty,  as  the 
people  on  shore  have  no  boats,  and  every  purchaser,  from 
the  boy  who  buys  his  pair  of  shoes,  to  the  trader  who  buys 
his  casks  and  bales,  were  to  be  taken  off  and  on,  in  our 
boat.  Some  days,  when  people  were  coming  and  going 
fast,  we  were  in  the  boat,  pulling  off  and  on,  all  day  long, 
with  hardly  time  for  our  meals  ; making,  as  we  lay  nearly 
three  miles  from  shore,  from  forty  to  fifty  miles  rowing  in 
a day.  Still,  we  thought  it  the  best  berth  in  the  ship  ; for 
when  the  gig  was  employed,  we  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  cargo,  except  small  bundles  which  the  passengers  car- 
ried with  them,  and  no  hides  to  carry,  besides  the  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  everybody,  making  acquaintances,  hearing 
the  news,  etc.  Unless  the  captain  or  agent  were  in  the 
boat,  we  had  no  officer  with  us,  and  often  had  fine  times 
with  the  passengers,  who  were  always  willing  to  talk  and 
joke  with  us.  Frequently,  too,  we  were  obliged  to  wait 
several  hours  on  shore  ; when  we  would  haul  the  boat  up 
on  the  beach,  and  leaving  one  to  watch  her,  go  up  to  the 
nearest  house,  or  spend  the  time  in  strolling  about  the 
beach,  picking  up  shells,  or  playing  hop-scotch,  and  other 
games,  on  the  hard  sand.  The  rest  of  the  crew  never  left 


iSo  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

the  ship,  except  for  bringing  heavy  goods  and  taking  off 
hides ; and  though  vve  were  always  in  the  water,  the  surf 
hardly  leaving  us  a dry  thread  from  morning  till  night 
yet  we  were  young,  and  the  climate  was  good,  and  we 
thought  it  much  better  than  the  quiet  hum-druir  1 ag 
and  pull  on  board  ship.  We  made  the  acqur<u£u*ji  of 
nearly  half  California  ; besides  carrying  everybody  in  our 
boat — men,  women,  and  children, — all  the  messages,  letters, 
and  light  packages  went  by  us,  and  being  known  by  our 
dress,  we  found  a ready  reception  everywhere. 

At  San  Pedro,  we  had  none  of  this  amusement,  for,  there 
being  but  one  house  in  the  place,  we,  of  course,  had  but 
little  company.  All  the  variety  that  I had,  was  riding,  once 
a week,  to  the  nearest  rancho,  to  order  a bullock  down  for 
the  ship. 

The  brig  Catalina  came  in  from  San  Diego,  and  being 
bound  up  to  windward,  we  both  got  under  weigh  at  the 
same  time,  for  a trial  of  speed  up  to  Santa  Barbara,  a dis- 
tance of  about  eighty  miles.  We  hove  up  and  got  under 
sail  about  eleven  o’clock  at  night,  with  a light  land-breeze, 
which  died  away  toward  morning,  leaving  us  becalmed 
only  a few  miles  from  our  anchoring-place.  The  Catalina, 
being  a small  vessel,  of  less  than  half  out  size,  put  out 
sweeps  and  got  a boat  ahead,  and  pulled  out  to  sea,  during 
the  night,  so  that  she  had  the  sea-breeze  earlier  and 
stronger  than  we  did,  and  we  had  the  mortification  of  see- 
ing her  standing  up  the  coast,  with  a fine  breeze,  the  sea  all 
ruffled  about  her,  while  we  were  becalmed,  in-shore. 
When  the  sea-breeze  died  away,  she  was  nearly  out  of 
sight ; and,  toward  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon,  the 
regular  northwest  wind  set  in  fresh,  we  braced  sharp  upon 
it,  took  a pull  at  every  sheet,  tack,  and  halyard,  and  stood 
after  her,  in  fine  style,  our  ship  being  very  good  upon  a 
taughtened  bowline.  We  had  nearly  five  hours  of  fine 
sailing,  beating  up  to  windward,  by  long  stretches  in  and 
off  shore,  and  evidently  gaining  upon  the  Catalina,  at  every 
tack.  When  this  breeze  left  us,  we  were  so  near  as  to 
count  the  painted  ports  on  her  side.  Fortunately,  the 
wind  died  away  when  we  were  on  our  inward  tack,  and  she 
on  her  outward,  so  we  were  in-shore,  and  caught  the  land- 
breeze  first,  which  came  off  upon  our  quarter,  about  the 
middle  of  the  first  watch.  All  hands  were  turned  up,  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  181 

we  set  all  sail,  to  the  skysails  and  the  royal  studding-sails  ; 
and  with  these,  we  glided  quietly  through  the  water,  leav- 
ing the  Catalina,  which  could  not  spread  so  much  canvass 
as  we,  gradually  astern,  and,  by  daylight,  were  off  St. 
Buenaventura,  and  our  antagonist  nearly  out  of  sight. 
The  sea-breeze,  however,  favored  her  again,  while  we  were 
becalmed  under  the  headland,  and  laboring  slowly  along, 
she  was  abreast  of  us  by  noon.  Thus  we  continued,  ahead, 
astern,  and  abreast  of  one  another,  alternately;  now,  far 
out  at  sea,  and  again,  close  in  under  the  shore.  On  the 
third  morning,  we  came  into  the  great  bay  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara, two  hours  behind  the  brig,  and  thus  lost  the  bet ; 
though,  if  the  race  had  been  to  the  point,  we  should  have 
beaten  her  by  five  or  six  hours.  This,  however,  settled 
the  relative  sailing  of  the  vessels,  for  it  was  admitted  that 
although  she,  being  small  and  light,  could  gain  upon  us  in 
very  light  winds,  yet  whenever  there  was  breeze  enough  to 
set  us  agoing,  we  walked  away  from  her  like  hauling  in  a 
line  ; and  in  beating  to  windward,  which  is  the  best  trial  of 
a vessel,  we  had  much  the  advantage  of  her. 

Sunday , Oct.  \th.  This  was  the  day  of  our  arrival ; and 
somehow  or  other,  our  captain  always  managed  not  only 
to  sail,  but  to  come  into  port,  on  a Sunday.  The  main 
reason  for  sailing  on  the  Sabbath  is  not,  as  many  people 
suppose,  because  Sunday  is  thought  a lucky  day,  but  be- 
cause it  is  a leisure  day.  During  the  six  days,  the  crew 
are  employed  upon  the  cargo  and  other  ship’s  works,  and 
the  Sabbath,  being  the  only  day  of  rest,  whatever  additional 
work  can  be  thrown  into  Sunday,  is  so  much  gain  to  the 
owners.  This  is  the  reason  of  our  coasters,  packets,  etc., 
sailing  on  the  Sabbath.  They  get  six  good  days’ work  out 
of  the  crew,  and  then  throw  all  the  labor  of  sailing  into  the 
Sabbath.  Thus  it  was  with  us,  nearly  all  the  time  we  were 
on  the  coast,  and  many  of  our  Sabbaths  were  lost  entirely 
to  us.  The  Catholics  on  shore  have  no  trading  and  make 
no  journeys  on  Sunday,  but  the  American  has  no  national 
religion,  and  likes  to  show  his  independence  of  priestcraft 
by  doing  as  he  chooses  on  the  Lord’s  day. 

Santa  Barbara  looked  very  much  as  it  did  when  I left 
it  five  months  before  : the  long  sand  beach,  with  the  heavy 
rollers,  breaking  upon  it  in  a continual  roar,  and  the  little 
town,  imbedded  on  the  plain,  girt  by  its  amphitheatre  of 


IS2 


7 VO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


mountains.  Day  after  day,  the  sun  shone  clear  and 
bright  upon  the  wide  bay  and  the  red  roofs  of  the  houses  ; 
everything  being  as  still  as  death,  the  people  really  hardly 
seeming  to  earn  their  sunlight.  Daylight  actually  seemed 
thrown  away  upon  them.  We  had  a few  visitors,  and  col- 
lected about  an  hundred  hides,  and  every  night  at  sun- 
down, the  gig  was  sent  ashore,  to  wait  for  the  captain,  who 
spent  his  evenings  in  the  town.  We  always  took  our 
monkey-jackets  with  us,  and  flint  and  steel,  and  made  a 
(ire  on  the  beach  with  the  driftwood  and  the  bushes  we 
pulled  from  the  neighboring  thickets,  and  lay  down  by  it, 
on  the  sand.  Sometimes  we  would  stray  up  to  the  town, 
if  the  captain  was  likely  to  stay  late,  and  pass  the  time  at 
some  of  the  houses  in  which  we  were  almost  always  well 
received  by  the  inhabitants.  Sometimes  earlier  and  some- 
times later,  the  captain  came  down  ; when,  after  a good 
drenching  in  the  surf,  we  went  aboard,  changed  our 
clothes,  and  turned  in  for  the  night — yet  not  for  all  the 
night,  for  there  was  the  anchor  watch  to  stand. 

This  leads  me  to  speak  of  my  watchmate  for  nine 
months — and,  taking  him  all  in  all,  the  most  remarkable 
man  I have  ever  seen — -Tom  Harris.  An  hour,  every  night, 
while  lying  in  port,  Harris  and  myself  had  the  deck  to  our- 
selves, and  walking  fore  and  aft,  night  after  night,  for 
months,  I learned  his  whole  character  and  history,  and 
more  about  foreign  nations,  the  habits  of  different  people, 
and  especially  the  secrets  of  sailors’  lives  and  hardships, 
and  also  of  practical  seamanship,  (in  which  he  was  abund- 
antly capable  of  instructing  me,)  than  I could  ever  have 
learned  elsewhere.  But  the  most  remarkable  thing  about 
him,  was  the  power  of  his  mind.  His  memory  was  perfect ; 
seeming  to  form  a regular  chain,  reaching  from  his  earliest 
childhood  up  to  the  time  I knew  him,  without  one  link 
wanting.  His  power  of  calculation,  too,  was  remarkable. 
I called  myself  pretty  quick  at  figures,  and  had  been 
through  a course  of  mathematical  studies  ; but,  working  by 
my  head,  I was  unable  to  keep  within  sight  of  this  man, 
who  had  never  been  beyond  his  arithmetic  : so  rapid  was 
his  calculation.  He  carried  in  his  head  not  only  a log-book 
of  the  whole  voyage,  in  which  everything  was  complete  and 
accurate,  and  from  which  no  one  ever  thought  of  appeal- 
ing, but  also  an  accurate  registry  of  all  the  cargo  ; knowing, 


TITO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  ^3 

precisely,  where  each  thing  was,  and  how  many  hides  we 
took  in  at  every  port. 

One  night,  he  made  a rough  calculation  of  the  number 
of  hides  that  could  be  stowed  in  the  lower  hold,  between 
the  fore  and  main  mast,  taking  the  depth  of  hold  and  breadth 
of  beam,  (for  he  always  knew  the  dimension  of  every  part 
of  a ship,  before  he  had  been  a month  on  board,)  and  the 
average  area  and  thickness  of  a hide  ; he  came  surprisingly 
near  the  number,  as  it  afterward  turned  out.  The  mate 
frequently  came  to  him  to  know  the  capacity  of  different 
parts  of  the  vessel,  and  he  could  tell  the  sailmaker  very 
nearly  the  amount  of  canvas  he  would  want  for  each  sail 
in  the  ship  ; for  he  knew  the  hoist  of  every  mast,  and  spread 
of  every  sail,  on  the  head  and  foot,  in  feet  and  inches. 
When  we  were  at  sea,  he  kept  a running  account,  in  his 
head,  of  the  ship’s  way — the  number  of  knots  and  the 
courses  ; and,  if  the  courses  did  not  vary  much  during  the 
twenty-four  hours,  by  taking  the  whole  progress,  and  allow- 
ing so  many  eighths  southing  or  northing,  to  so  many  east- 
ing or  westing ; he  would  make  up  his  reckoning  just 
before  the  captain  took  the  sun  at  noon,  and  often  came 
wonderfully  near  the  mark.  Calculation  of  all  kinds  was 
his  delight.  He  had,  in  his  chest,  several  volumes  giving 
accounts  of  inventions  in  mechanics,  which  he  read  with 
great  pleasure,  and  made  himself  master  of.  I doubt  if  he 
ever  forgot  anything  that  he  read.  The  only  thing  in  the 
way  of  poetry  that  he  ever  read  was  Falconer’s  Shipwreck, 
which  he  was  delighted  with,  and  whole  pages  of  which  he 
Could  repeat.  He  knew  the  name  of  every  sailor  that  had 
ever  been  his  shipmate,  and  also,  of  every  vessel,  captain, 
and  officer,  and  the  principal  dates  of  each  voyage  ; and  a 
sailor  whom  we  afterwards  fell  in  with,  who  had  been  in  a 
ship  with  Harris  nearly  twelve  years  before,  was  very  much 
surprised  at  having  Harris  tell  him  things  about  himself 
which  he  had  entirely  forgotten.  His  facts,  whether  dates 
or  events,  no  one  thought  of  disputing  ; and  his  opinions, 
few  of  the  sailors  dared  to  oppose  ; for,  right  or  wrong,  he 
always  had  the  best  of  the  argument  with  them.  His  rea- 
soning powers  were  remarkable.  I have  had  harder  work 
maintaining  an  argument  with  him  in  a watch,  even  when 
I knew  myself  to  be  right,  and  he  was  only  doubting,  than 
I ever  had  before  ; not  from  his  obstinacy,  but  from  his 


184 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TIIE  MAST 


acuteness,  Give  him  only  a little  knowledge  of  his  sub- 
ject, and,  certainly,  among  all  the  young  men  of  my  ac- 
quaintance and  standing  at  college,  there  was  not  one 
whom  I had  not  rather  meet,  than  this  man.  I never  an- 
swered a question  from  him,  or  advanced  an  opinion  to  him 
without  thinking  more  than  once.  With  an  iron  memory, 
he  seemed  to  have  your  whole  past  conversation  at  com- 
mand, and  if  you  said  a thing  now  which  ill  agreed  with 
something  said  months  before,  he  was  sure  to  have  you  on 
the  hip.  In  fact,  I always  felt,  when  with  him,  that  I was 
with  no  common  man.  I had  a positive  respect  for  his 
powers  of  mind,  and  felt  often  that  if  half  the  pains  had 
been  spent  upon  his  education  which  are  thrown  away 
yearly,  in  our  colleges,  he  would  have  been  a man  of  great 
weight  in  society.  Like  most  selftaught  men,  he  over-esti- 
mated the  value  of  an  education  ; and  this,  I often  told  him, 
though  I profited  by  it  myself ; for  he  always  treated  me 
with  respect,  and  often  unnecessarily  gave  way  to  me,  from 
an  over-estimate  of  my  knowledge.  For  the  capacities  of 
all  the  rest  of  the  crew,  captain  and  all,  he  had  the  most 
sovereign  contempt.  He  was  a far  better  sailor,  and  pro- 
bably a better  navigator,  than  the  captain,  and  had  more 
brains  than  all  the  after  part  of  the  ship  put  together.  The 
sailors  said,  “ Tom's  got  a head  as  long  as  the  bowsprit," 
and  if  any  one  got  into  an  argument  with  him,  they  would 
call  out — “ Ah,  Jack  ! you'd  better  drop  that,  as  you  would 
a hot  potato,  for  Tom  will  turn  you  inside  out  before  you 
know  it." 

I recollect  his  posing  me  once  on  the  subject  of  the 
Corn  Laws.  I was  called  to  stand  my  watch,  and,  coming 
on  deck,  found  him  there  before  me  ; and  we  began,  as 
usual,  to  walk  fore  and  aft,  in  the  waist.  He  talked  about 
the  corn  laws  ; asked  me  my  opinion  about  them,  which  I 
gave  him  ; and  my  reasons  ; my  small  stock  of  which  I 
set  forth  to  the  best  advantage,  supposing  his  knowledge 
on  the  subject  must  be  less  than  mine,  if,  indeed,  he  had 
any  at  all.  When  I had  got  through,  he  took  the  liberty 
of  differing  from  me,  and,  to  my  surprise,  brought  argu- 
ments and  facts  connected  with  the  subject  which  were 
new  to  me,  and  to  which  I was  entirely  unable  to  reply. 
I confessed  that  I knew  almost  nothing  of  the  subject, 
and  expressed  my  surprise  at  the  extent  of  his  information. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


He  said  that,  a number  of  years  before,  while  at  a board- 
ing-house in  Liverpool,  he  had  fallen  in  with  a pamphlet 
on  the  subject,  and,  as  it  contained  calculations,  had  read 
it  very  carefully,  and  had  ever  since  wished  to  find  some 
one  who  could  add  to  his  stock  of  knowledge  on  the  ques- 
tion. Although  it  was  many  years  since  he  had  seen  the 
book,  and  it  was  a subject  with  which  he  had  had  no  previ- 
ous acquaintance,  yet  he  had  the  chain  of  reasoning, 
founded  upon  principles  of  political  economy,  perfect  in 
his  memory ; and  his  facts,  so  far  as  I could  judge,  were 
correct ; at  least,  he  stated  them  with  great  precision.  The 
principles  of  the  steam  engine,  too,  he  was  very  familiar 
with,  having  been  several  months  on  board  of  a steamboat, 
and  made  himself  master  of  its  secrets.  He  knew  every 
lunar  star  in  both  hemispheres,  and  was  a perfect  master 
of  his  quadrant  and  sextant.  Such  was  the  man,  who,  at 
forty,  was  still  a dog  before  the  mast,  at  twelve  dollars  a * 
month.  The  reason  of  this  was  to  be  found  in  his  whole 
past  life,  as  I had  it,  at  different  times,  from  himself. 

He  was  an  Englishman,  by  birth,  a native  of  Ilfracomb, 
in  Cornwall.  His  father  was  skipper  of  a small  coaster, 
from  Bristol,  and  dying,  left  him,  when  quite  young,  to  the 
care  of  his  mother,  by  whose  exertions  he  received  a com- 
mon school  education,  passing  his  winters  at  school  and 
his  summers  in  the  coasting  trade,  until  his  seventeenth 
year,  when  he  left  home  to  go  upon  foreign  voyages.  Of 
this  mother  he  often  spoke  with  the  greatest  respect,  and 
said  that  she  was  a strong-minded  woman,  and  had  the 
best  system  of  education  he  had  ever  known ; a system 
which  had  made  respectable  men  of  his  three  brothers,  and 
failed  only  in  him,  from  his  own  indomitable  obstinacy. 
One  thing  he  often  mentioned,  in  which  he  said  his  mother 
differed  from  all  other  mothers  that  he  had  ever  seen  dis- 
ciplining their  children  ; that  was,  that  when  he  was  out 
of  humor  and  refused  to  eat,  instead  of  putting  his  plate 
away,  as  most  mothers  would,  and  saying  that  his  hunger 
would  bring  him  to  it,  in  time,  she  would  stand  over  him 
and  oblige  him  to  eat  it--every  mouthful  of  it.  It  was  no 
fault  of  hers  that  he  was  what  I saw  him ; and  so  great 
was  his  sense  of  gratitude  for  her  efforts,  though  unsuccess- 
ful, that  he  determined,  at  the  close  of  the  voyage,  to  em- 
bark for  home  with  all  the  wages  he  should  get,  to  spend 


i86 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


with  and  for  his  mother,  if  perchance  he  should  find  her 
alive. 

After  leaving  home,  he  had  spent  nearly  twenty  years, 
sailing  upon  all  sorts  of  voyages,  generally  out  of  the  ports 
of  New  York  and  Boston.  Twenty  years  of  vice  ! Every 
sin  that  a sailor  knows,  he  had  gone  to  the  bottom  of. 
Several  times  he  had  been  hauled  up  in  the  hospitals,  and 
as  often,  the  great  strength  of  his  constitution  had  brought 
him  out  again  in  health.  Several  times,  too,  from  his  known 
capacity,  he  had  been  promoted  to  the  office  of  chief  mate, 
and  as  often,  his  conduct  when  in  port,  especially  his  drunk- 
enness, which  neither  fear  nor  ambition  could-  induce  him 
to  abandon,  put  him  back  into  the  forecastle.  One  night,  . 
when  giving  me  an  account  of  his  life,  and  lamenting  the 
years  of  manhood  he  had  thrown  away,  he  said  that  there, 
in  the  forecastle,  at  the  foot  of  the  steps — a chest  of  old 
clothes — was  the  result  of  twenty-two  years  of  hard  labor 
and  exposure — worked  like  a horse,  and  treated  like  a dog, 
As  he  grew  older,  he  began  to  feel  the  necessity  of  some 
provision  for  his  later  years,  and  came  gradually  to  the 
conviction  that  rum  had  been  his  worst  enemy.  One  night, 
in  Havana,  a young  shipmate  of  his  was  brought  aboard 
drunk,  with  a dangerous  gash  in  his  head,  and  his  money 
and  new  clothes  stripped  from  him.  Harris  had  seen  and  * 
been  in  hundreds  of  such  scenes  as  these,  but  in  his  then 
state  of  mind,  it  fixed  his  determination,  and  he  resolved 
never  to  taste  another  drop  of  strong  drink,  of  any  kind. 
He  signed  no  pledge,  and  made  no  vow,  but  relied  on  his 
own  strength  of  purpose.  The  first  thing  with  him  was  a 
reason,  and  then  a resolution,  and  the  thing  was  done.  The 
date  of  his  resolution  he  knew,  of  course,  to  the  very  hour. 

It  was  three  years  before  I knew  him,  and  during  all  that 
time,  nothing  stronger  than  cider  or  coffee  had  passed  his 
lips.  The  sailors  never  thought  of  enticing  Tom  to  take  a 
glass,  any  more  than  they  would  of  talking  to  the  ship’s 
compass.  He  was  now  a temperate  man  for  life,  and  cap- 
able of  filling  any  berth  in  a ship,  and  many  a high  station 
there  is  on  shore  which  is  held  by  a meaner  man. 

He  understood  the  management  of  a ship  upon  scien- 
tific principles,  and  could  give  the  reason  for  hauling  every 
rope  ; and  along  experience,  added  to  careful  observation 
at  the  time,  and  a perfect  memory,  gave  him  a knowledge 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  . 


i87 

of  the  expedients  and  resorts  in  times  of  hazard,  which  was 
remarkable,  and  for  which  I became  much  indebted  to  him, 
as  he  took  the  greatest  pleasure  in  opening  his  stores  of 
information  to  me,  in  return  for  what  I was  enabled  to  do 
for  him.  Stories  of  tyranny  and  hardship  which  had  driven 
men  to  piracy  ; — of  the  incredible  ignorance  of  masters  and 
mates,  and  of  horrid  brutality  to  the  sick,  dead,  and  dying  ; 
as  well  as  of  the  secret  knavery  and  impositions  practised 
upon  seamen  by  connivance  of  the  owners,  landlords,  and 
officers  ; all  these  he  had,  and  I could  not  but  believe 
them,  for  men  who  had  known  him  for  fifteen  years  had 
never  taken  him  even  in  an  exaggeration,  and,  as  I have 
said,  his  statements  were  never  disputed.  I remember, 
among  other  things,  his  speaking  of  a captain  whom  I had 
known  by  report,  who  never  handed  a thing  to  a sailor,  but 
put  it  on  deck  and  kicked  it  to  him  ; and  of  another,  who  was 
of  the  best  connexion  in  Boston,  who  absolutely  murdered  a 
lad  from  Boston  that  went  out  with  him  before  the  mast  to 
Sumatra,  by  keeping  him  hard  at  work  while  ill  of  the  coast 
fever,  and  obliging  him  to  sleep  in  the  close  steerage.  (The 
same  captain  has  since  died  of  the  same  fever  on  the  same 
coast.) 

In  fact,  taking  together  all  that  I have  learned  from 
him  of  seamanship,  of  the  history  of  sailors’  lives,  of  practi- 
cal wisdom,  and  of  human  nature  under  new  circumstan- 
ces,— a great  history  from  which  many  are  shut  out, — 1 
would  not  part  with  the  hours  I spent  in  the  watch  with 
that  man  for  any  given  hours  of  my  life  past  to  study  and 
social  intercourse. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Sunday,  Oct.  iith.  Set  sail  this  morning  for  the  lee- 
ward ; passed  within  sight  of  San  Pedro,  and,  to  our  great 
joy,  did  not  come  to  anchor,  but  kept  directly  on  to  San 
Diego,  where  we  arrived  and  moored  ship  on 

Thursday  Oct . 15 th.  Found  here  the  Italian  ship  La 
Rosa,  from  the  windward,  which  reported  the  brig  Pil- 
grim at  San  Francisco,  all  well.  Everything  was  as  quiet 
here  as  usual.  We  discharged  our  hides,  horns,  and  tallow 


i88 


TIVO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


and  were  ready  to  sail  again  on  the  following  Sunday,  I went 
ashore  to  my  old  quarters,  and  found  the  gang  at  the  hide- 
house  going  on  in  the  even  tenor  of  their  way,  and  spent 
an  hour  or  two,  after  dark  at  the  oven,  taking  a whiff  with 
my  old  Kanaka  friends,  who  really  seemed  glad  to  see  me 
again,  and  saluted  me  as  the  Aikane  of  the  Kanakas.  I 
was  grieved  to  find  that  my  poor  dog  Bravo  was  dead. 
He  had  sickened  and  died  suddenly,  the  very  day  after  I 
sailed  in  the  Alert. 

Sunday  was  again,  as  usual,  our  sailing  day,  and  we 
got  under  weigh  with  a stiff  breeze,  which  reminded  us 
that  it  was  the  latter  part  of  the  autumn,  and  time  to  ex- 
pect southeasters  once  more.  We  beat  up  against  a 
strong  head  wind,  under  reefed  top-sails,  as  far  as  San 
Juan,  where  we  came  to  anchor  nearly  three  miles  from 
the  shore,  with  slip-ropes  on  our  cables,  in  the  old  south- 
easter style  of  last  winter.  On  the  passage  up,  we  had  an 
old  sea  captain  on  board,  who  had  married  and  settled  in 
California,  and  had  not  been  on  salt  water  for  more  than 
fifteen  years.  He  was  astonished  at  the  changes  and  im- 
provements that  had  been  made  in  ships,  and  still  more  at 
the  manner  in  which  we  carried  sail ; for  he  was  really  a 
little  frightened  ; and  said  that  while  we  had  top-gallant 
sails  on,  he  should  have  been  under  reefed  top-sails.  The 
working  of  the  ship,  and  her  progress  to  windward,  seemed 
to  delight  him,  for  he  said  she  went  to  windward  as  though 
she  were  hedging. 

Tuesday,  Oct . 20 th.  Having  got  everything  ready,  we 
set  the  agent  ashore,  who  went  up  to  the  mission  to  hasten 
down  the  hides  for  the  next  morning.  This  night  we  had 
the  strictest  orders  to  look  out  for  southeasters  ; and  the 
long,  low  clouds,  seemed  rather  threatening.  But  the  night 
passed  over  without  any  trouble,  and  early  the  next  morn- 
ing, we  hove  out  the  long-boat  and  pinnace,  lowered  away 
the  quarter-boats,  and  went  ashore  to  bring  off  our  hides. 
Here  we  were  again,  in  this  romantic  spot;  a perpen- 
dicular hill,  twice  the  height  of  the  ship's  mast-head,  with  a 
single  circuitous  path  to  the  top,  and  long  sand  beach  at 
its  base,  with  the  swell  of  the  whole  Pacific  breaking  high 
apon  it,  and  our  hides  ranged  in  piles  on  the  overhanging 
summit.  The  captain  sent  me,  who  wras  the  only  one  of 
the  crew  that  ever  had  been  there  before,  to  the  top,  to 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


log 


count  the  hides  and  pitch  them  down.  There  I stood 
again,  as  six  months  before,  throwing  off  the  hides,  and 
watching  them,  pitching  and  scaling,  to  the  bottom,  while 
the  men,  dwarfed  by  the  distance,  were  walking  to  and  fro 
on  the  beach,  carrying  the  hides,  as  they  picked  them  up, 
to  the  distant  boats,  upon  the  tops  of  their  heads.  Two  or 
three  boat- loads  were  sent  off,  until,  at  last,  all  were 
thrown  down,  and  the  boats  nearly  loaded  again,  when  we 
were  delayed  by  a dozen  or  twenty  hides  which  had  lodged 
in  the  recesses  of  the  hill,  and  which  we  could  not  reach 
by  any  missiles,  as  the  general  line  of  the  side  was  exactly 
perpendicular,  and  these  places  were  caved  in,  and  could 
not  be  seen  or  reached  from  the  top.  As  hides  are  worth 
in  Boston  twelve  and  a half  cents  a pound,  and  the  captain’s 
commission  was  two  per  cent.,  he  determined  not  to  give 
them  up;  and  sent  on  board  for  a pair  of  top-gallant  stud- 
ding-sail halyards,  and  requested  some  one  of  the  crew  to 
go  to  the  top,  and  come  down  by  the  halyards.  The  older 
sailors  said  the  boys,  who  were  light  and  active,  ought  to 
go,  while  the  boys  thought  that  strength  and  experience 
were  necessary.  Seeing  the  dilemma,  and  feeling  myself 
to  be  near  the  medium  of  these  requisites,  I offered  my 
services,  and  went  up,  with  one  man  to  tend  the  rope,  and 
prepared  for  the  descent. 

We  found  a stake  fastened  strongly  into  the  ground, 
and  apparently  capable  of  holding  my  weight,  to  which  we 
made  one  end  of  the  halyards  well  fast,  and  taking  the 
coil,  threw  it  over  the  brink.  The  end,  we  saw,  just  reached 
to  a landing-place,  from  which  the  descent  to  the  beach  was 
easy.  Having  nothing  on  but  shirt,  trowsers  and  hat,  the 
common  sea-rig  of  warm  weather,  I had  no  stripping  to  do, 
and  began  my  descent,  by  taking  hold  of  the  rope  in  each 
hand,  and  slipping  down,  sometimes  with  hand  and  feet 
round  the  rope,  and  sometimes  breasting  off  with  one  hand 
and  foot  against  the  precipice,  and  holding  on  the  rope 
with  the  other.  In  this  way  I descended  until  I came  to 
a place  which  shelved  in,  and  in  which  the  hides  were 
lodged.  Keeping  hold  of  the  rope  with  one  hand,  I scram- 
bled in,  and  by  the  other  hand  and  feet  succeeded  in  dislodg- 
ing all  the  hides,  and  continued  on  my  way.  Just  below 
this  place,  the  precipice  projected  again,  and  going  over 
the  projection.  I could  see  nothing  below  me  but  the  sea 


9o 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST, 


and  the  rocks  upon  which  it  broke,  and  a few  gulls  flying 
in  mid  air.  I got  down  with  safety,  pretty  well  covered 
with  dirt;  and  for  my  pains  was  told,  “ What  a d — d fool 
you  were  to  risk  your  life  for  half  a dozen  hides ! ” 

While  we  were  carrying  the  hides  to  the  boat,  I per- 
ceived, what  I had  been  too  busy  to  observe  before,  that 
heavy  black  clouds  were  rolling  up  from  seaward,  a strong 
swell  heaving  in,  and  every  sign  of  a southeaster.  The 
captain  hurried  everything.  The  hides  were  pitched  into 
the  boats  ; and,  with  some  difficulty,  and  by  wading  nearly 
up  to  our  armpits,  we  got  the  boats  through  the  surf,  and 
began  pulling  aboard.  Our  gig’s  crew  towed  the  pinnace 
astern  of  the  gig,  and  the  launch  was  towed  by  six  men  in 
the  jolly-boat.  The  ship  was  lying  three  miles  off,  pitch- 
ing at  her  anchor,  and  the  farther  we  pulled,  the  heavier 
grew  the  swell.  Our  boats  stood  nearly  up  and  down  sev- 
eral times ; the  pinnace  parted  her  tow-line,  and  we  ex- 
pected every  moment  to  see  the  launch  swamped.  We  at 
length  got  alongside,  our  boats  half  full  of  water;  and 
now  came  the  greatest  difficulty  of  all, — unloading  the 
boats,  in  a heavy  sea,  which  pitched  them  about  so  that  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  stand  in  them ; raising  them 
sometimes  even  with  the  rail,  and  again  dropping  them  be- 
low the  bends.  With  great  difficulty,  we  got  all  the  hides 
aboard  and  stowed  under  hatches,  the  yard  and  stay  tackles 
hooked  on,  and  the  launch  and  pinnace  hoisted,  chocked 
and  griped.  The  quarter-boats  were  then  hoisted  up,  and 
we  began  heaving  in  on  the  chain.  Getting  the  anchor 
was  no  easy  work  in  such  a sea,  but  as  we  were  not  com- 
ing back  to  this  port,  the  captain  determined  not  to  slip. 
The  ship’s  head  pitched  into  the  sea,  and  the  water  rushed 
through  the  hawse-holes,  and  the  chain  surged  so  as  almost 
to  unship  the  barrel  of  the  windlass.  “ Hove  short,  sir  ! ” 
said  the  mate.  “ Aye,  aye  ! Weather-bit  your  chain  and 
loose  the  top-sails  ! Make  sail  on  her,  men — with  a will  ! ” 
A few  moments  served  to  loose  the  top-saCils,  which  were 
furled  with  reefs,  to  sheet  them  home,  and  hoist  them  up. 
“ Bear  a hand ! ” was  the  order  of  the  day  ; and  every  one 
saw  the  necessity  of  it,  for  the  gale  was  already  upon  us. 
The  ship  broke  out  her  own  anchor,  which  we  catted  and 
fished,  after  a fashion,  and  stood  off  from  the  lee  shore 
against  a heavy  head  sea,  under  reefed  top-sails,  fore  top* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


I9I 


mast  stay-sail  and  spanker.  The  fore  course  was  given  to 
her,  which  helped  her  a little  ; but  as  she  hardly  held  her 
own  against  the  sea  which  was  setting  her  to  leeward — 
“ Board  the  main  tack  ! ” shouted  the  captain  ; when  the 
tack  was  carried  forward  and  taken  to  the  windlass,  and 
all  hands  called  to  the  handspikes.  The  great  sail  bellied 
out  horizontally  as  though  it  would  lift  up  the  main  stay; 
the  blocks  rattled  and  flew  about  but  the  force  of  machin- 
ery was  too  much  for  her.  “ Heave  ho  ! Heave  and  pawl ! 
Yo,  heave,  hearty,  ho ! ” and,  in  time  with  the  song,  by  the 
force  of  twenty  strong  arms,  the  windlass  came  slowly 
round,  pawl  after  pawl,  and  the  weather  clue  of  the  sail 
was  brought  down  to  the  water-ways.  The  starboard 
watch  hauled  aft  the  sheet,  and  the  ship  tore  through  the 
water  like  a mad  horse,  quivering  and  shaking  at  every 
joint,  and  dashing  from  its  head  the  foam,  which  flew  off  at 
every  blow,  yards  and  yards  to  leeward.  A half  hour  of 
such  sailing  served  our  turn,  when  the  clues  of  the  sail 
were  hauled  up,  the  sail  furled,  and  the  ship,  eased  of  her 
press,  went  more  quietly  on  her  way.  Soon  after,  the  fore- 
sail was  reefed,  and  we  mizen-top  men  were  sent  up  to  take 
another  reef  in  the  mizen  top-sail.  This  was  the  first  time 
I had  taken  a weather  earing,  and  I felt  not  a little  proud 
to  sit  astride  of  the  weather  yard-arm,  passed  the  earing, 
and  sing  out,  “ Haul  out  to  leeward  ! ” From  this  time  until 
we  got  to  Boston,  the  mate  never  suffered  any  one  but 
our  own  gang  to  go  upon  the  mizen  top-sail  yard,  either 
for  reefing  or  furling,  and  the  young  English  lad  and  my- 
self generally  took  the  earings  between  us. 

Having  cleared  the  point  and  got  well  out  to  sea,  we 
squared  away  the  yards,  made  .more  sail,  and  stood  on, 
nearly  before  the  wind,  for  San  Pedro.  It  blew  strong, 
with  some  rain  nearly  all  night,  but  fell  calm  toward  morn- 
ing, and  the  gale  having  gone  over,  we  came-to, — 

Thursday , Oct.  22 d,  at  San  Pedro,  in  the  old  south- 
easter berth,  a league  from  shore,  with  a slip-rope  on  the 
cable,  reefs  in  the  top-sails,  and  rope-yarns  for  gaskets. 
Here  we  lay  ten  days,  with  the  usual  boating,  hide-carrying, 
rolling  of  cargo  up  the  steep  hill,  walking  barefooted  over 
stones,  and  getting  drenched  in  salt  water. 

The  third  day  after  our  arrival,  the  Rosa  came  in  from 
San  Juan,  where  she  went  the  day  after  the  southeaster. 


192 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


Her  crew  said  it  was  as  smooth  as  a mill-pood,  after  the 
gale,  and  she  took  oh:  nearly  a thousand  hides,  which  had 
been  brought  down  for  us,  and  which  was  lost  in  conse- 
quence of  the  southeaster.  This  mortified  us  ; not  only 
that  an  Italian  ship  should  have  got  to  windward  of  us  in 
the  trade,  but  because  every  thousand  hides  went  toward 
completing  the  forty  thousand  which  we  were  to  collect  be- 
fore we  could  say  good-by  to  California, 

While  lying  here,  we  shipped  one  new  hand,  an  English- 
man, of  about  two  or  three  and  twenty,  who  was  quite  an  ac- 
quisition, as  he  proved  to  be  a good  sailor,  could  sing  toler- 
ably, and,  what  was  of  more  importance  to  me,  had  a good 
education,  and  a somewhat  remarkable  history.  He  called 
himself  George  P,,  Marsh  ; professed  to  have  been  at  sea 
from  a small  boy,  and  to  have  served  his  time  in  the  smug- 
gling trade  between  Germany  and  the  coasts  of  France 
and  England.  Thus  he  accounted  for  his  knowledge  of 
the  French  language,  which  he  spoke  and  read  as  well  as 
he  did  English  ; but  his  cutter  education  would  not  account 
for  his  English,  which  was  far  too  good  to  have  been 
learned  in  a smuggler  ; for  he  wrote  an  uncommonly  hand- 
some hand,  spoke  with  great  correctness,  and  frequently, 
when  in  private  talk  with  me,  quoted  from  books,  and 
showed  a knowledge  of  the  customs  of  society,  and  parti- 
cularly of  the  formalities  of  the  various  English  courts  of 
law  and  of  Parliament,  which  surprised  me.  Still,  he 
would  give  no  other  account  of  himself  than  that  he  was 
educated  in  a smuggler.  A man  whom  we  afterwards  fell 
in  with,  who  had  been  a shipmate  of  George’s  a few  years 
before,  said  that  he  heard  at  the  boarding-house  from  which 
they  shipped,  that  George  had  been  at  a college,  ( probably 
a naval  one,  as  he  knew  no  Latin  or  Greek  ),  where  he 
learned  French  and  mathematics.  He  was  by  no  means 
the  man  by  nature  that  Harris  was.  Harris  had  made 
everything  of  his  mind  and  character  in  spite  of  obstacles ; 
while  this  man  had  evidently  been  born  in  a different  rank, 
and  educated  early  in  life  accordingly,  but  had  been  a 
vagabond,  and  done  nothing  for  himself  since.  What  had 
been  given  to  him  by  others,  was  all  that  made  him  to  dif- 
fer from  those  about  him ; while  Harris  had  made  himself 
what  he  was.  Neither  had  George  the  character,  strength 
of  mind,  acuteness,  or  memory  of  Harris  ; yet  there  was 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*93 


about  him  the  remains  of  a pretty  good  education,  which 
enabled  him  to  talk  perhaps  beyond  his  brains,  and  a high 
spirit  and  sense  of  honor,  which  years  of  a dog's  life  had 
not  broken.  After  he  had  been  a little  while  on  board,  we 
learned  from  him  his  remarkable  history,  for  the  last  two 
years,  which  we  afterwards  heard  confirmed  in  such  a man- 
ner, as  put  the  truth  of  it  beyond  a doubt. 

He  sailed  from  New  York  in  the  year  1833,  if  I mis- 
take not,  before  the  mast,  in  the  brig  Lascar,  for  Canton. 
She  was  sold  in  the  East  Indies,  and  he  shipped  at  Manilla, 
in  a small  schooner,  bound  on  a trading  voyage  among 
the  Ladrone  and  Pelew  Islands.  On  one  of  the  latter 
islands,  their  schooner  was  wrecked  on  a reef,  and  they 
were  attacked  by  the  natives,  and,  after  a desperate  re- 
sistance, in  which  all  their  number  except  the  captain, 
George,  and  a boy,  were  killed  or  drowned,  they  surren- 
dered, and  were  carried  bound,  in  a canoe,  to  a neigh- 
boring island.  In  about  a month  after  this,  an  oppor- 
tunity occurred  by  which  one  of  their  number  might  get 
away.  I have  forgotten  the  circumstances,  but  only  one 
could  go,  and  they  yielded  to  the  captain,  upon  his  promis- 
ing to  send  them  aid  if  he  escaped.  He  was  successful  in 
his  attempt ; got  on  board  an  American  vessel,  went  back 
to  Manilla,  and  thence  to  America,  without  making  any 
effort  for  their  rescue,  or  indeed,  as  George  afterwards 
discovered,  without  even  mentioning  their  case  to  any  one 
in  Manilla.  % The  boy  that  was  with  George  died,  and  he 
being  alone,  and  there  being  no  chance  for  his  escape,  the 
natives  soon  treated  him  with  kindness,  and  even  with  at- 
tention. They  painted  him,  tattooed  his  body,  (for  he  would 
never  consent  to  be  marked  in  the  face  or  hands,)  gave 
him  two  or  three  wives  ; and,  in  fact,  made  quite  a pet  of 
him.  In  this  way,  he  lived  for  thirteen  months,  in  a fine 
climate,  with  a plenty  to  eat,  half  naked,  and  nothing  to  do. 
He  soon,  however,  became  tired,  and  went  round  the 
island,  on  different  pretences,  to  look  out  for  a sail.  One 
day,  he  was  out  fishing  in  a small  canoe  with  another  man, 
when  he  saw  a large  sail  to  windward,  about  a league  and 
a half  off,  passing  abreast  of  the  island  and  standing  west- 
ward. With  some  difficulty,  he  persuaded  the  islander  to 
go  off  with  him  to  the  ship,  promising  to  return  with  a good 
supply  of  rum  and  tobacco.  These  articles,  which  the 


194 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


islanders  had  got  a taste  of  from  American  traders,  were 
too  strong  a temptation  for  the  fellow  and  he  consented. 
They  paddled  off  in  the  track  of  the  ship,  and  lay-to  until 
she  came  down  to  them.  George  stepped  on  board  the 
ship,  nearly  naked,  painted  from  head  to  foot,  and  in  no 
way  distinguishable  from  his  companion  until  he  began  to 
speak.  Upon  this,  the  people  on  board  were  not  a little 
astonished,  and  having  learned  his  story,  the  captain  had 
him  washed  and  clothed,  and  sending  away  the  poor  as- 
tonished  native  with  a knife  or  two  and  some  tobacco  and 
calico,  took  George  with  him  on  the  voyage.  This  was  the 
ship  Cabot,  of  New  York,  Captain  Low.  She  was  bound 
to  Manilla,  from  across  the  Pacific,  and  George  did  sea- 
man’s duty  in  her  until  her  arrival  in  Manilla,  when  he 
left  her  and  shipped  in  a brig  bound  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  From  Oahu,  he  came,  in  the  British  brig  Clemen- 
tine, to  Monterey,  as  second  officer,  where,  having  some 
difficulty  with  the  captain,  he  left  her,  and  coming  down 
the  coast,  joined  us  at  San  Pedro.  Nearly  six  months 
after  this,  among  some  papers  we  received  by  an  arrival 
from  Boston,  we  found  a letter  from  Captain  Low,  of  the 
Cabot,  published  immediately  upon  his  arrival  at  New 
York,  and  giving  all  the  particulars  just  as  we  had  them 
from  George.  The  letter  was  published  for  the  information 
of  the  friends  of  George,  and  Captain  Low  added,  that  he 
left  him  at  Manilla  to  go  to  Oahu,  and  he  had  heard  nothing 
of  him  since. 

George  had  an  interesting  journal  of  his  adventures  in 
the  Pelew  Islands,  which  he  had  written  out  at  length,  in  a 
handsome  hand,  and  in  correct  English. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Sunday,  November  ist.  Sailed  this  day,  (Sii.L y 
again)  for  Santa  Barbara,  where  we  arrived  on  the  51I1. 
Coming  round  St.  Buenaventura,  and  nearing  the  anchor- 
age, vve  saw  two  vessels  in  port,  a large  full-rigged,  and  a 
small  hermaphrodite  brig.  The  former,  the  crew  said 
must  be  die  Pilgrim ; but  I had  been  too  long  in  the  Pil- 
grim to  be  mistaken  in  her,  and  I was  right  in  differing 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*95 


from  them ; for,  upon  nearer  approach,  her  long,  low 
shear,  sharp  bows,  and  raking  masts,  told  quite  another 
story.  “ Man-of-war  brig,”  said  some  of  them ; “ Balti- 
more clipper,”  said  others  ; the  Ayacucho,  thought  I ; and 
soon  the  broad  folds  of  the  beautiful  banner  of  St.  George. 
— white  field  with  blood-red  border  and  cross, — where  dis- 
played from  her  peak.  A few  minutes  put  it  beyond  a 
doubt,  and  we  were  lying  by  the  side  of  the  Ayacucho,  which 
had  sailed  from  San  Diego  about  nine  months  before, 
while  we  were  lying  there  in  the  Pilgrim.  She  had  since 
been  to  Valparaiso,  Callao,  and  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and 
had  just  come  upon  the  coast.  Her  boat  came  on  board, 
bringing  Captain  Wilson ; and  in  a half  an  hour  the  news 
was  all  over  the  ship  that  there  was  a war  between  the 
United  States  and  France.  Exaggerated  accounts  reached 
the  forecastle.  Battles  had  been  fought,  a large  French 
fleet  was  in  the  Pacific,  etc.  etc.  ; and  one  of  the  boat’s 
crew  of  the  Ayacucho  said  that  when  they  left  Callao,  a 
large  French  frigate  and  the  American  frigate  Brandywine, 
which  were  lying  there,  were  going  outside  to  have  a battle; 
and  that  the  English  frigate  Blonde  was  to  be  umpire,  and 
see  fair  play.  Here  was  important  news  for  us.  Alone, 
on  an  unprotected  coast,  without  an  American  man-of-war 
within  some  thousands  of  miles,  and  the  prospect  of  a voy- 
age home  through  the  whole  length  of  the  Pacific  and 
Atlantic  oceans!  A French  prison  seemed  a much  more 
probable  place  of  destination  than  the  good  port  of  Boston. 
However,  we  were  too  salt  to  believe  every  yarn  that 
comes  into  the  forecastle,  and  waited  to  hear  the  truth  of 
the  matter  from  higher  authority.  By  means  of  the  super- 
cargo’s clerk,  I got  the  amount  of  the  matter,  which  was, 
that  the  governments  had  had  a difficulty  about  the  pay- 
ment of  a debt ; that  war  had  been  threatened  and  pre- 
pared for,  but  not  actually  declared,  although  it  was  pretty 
generally  anticipated.  This  was  not  quite  so  bad,  yet  was 
no  small  cause  of  anxiety.  But  we  cared  very  little  about 
the  matter  ourselves.  “ Happy  go  lucky  ” with  Jack  ! We 
did  not  believe  that  a French  prison  would  be  much  worse 
than  “ hide-droghing”  on  the  coast  of  California  ; and  no 
one  who  has  not  been  a long,  dull  voyage,  shut  up  in  one 
ship,  can  conceive  of  the  effect  of  monotony  upon  one’s 
thoughts  and  wishes.  The  prospect  of  a change  is  like  a 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


196 

green  spot  in  a desert,  and  the  remotest  probability  of 
great  events  and  exciting  scenes  gives  a feeling  of  delight, 
and  sets  life  in  motion,  so  as  to  give  a pleasure,  which  any 
one  not  in  the  same  state  would  be  entirely  unable  to  ac- 
count for.  In  fact,  a more  jovial  night  we  had  not  passed 
in  the  forecastle  for  months.  Every  one  seemed  in  unac* 
countably  high  spirits.  An  undefined  anticipation  of 
radical  changes,  of  new  scenes,  and  great  doings,  seemed 
to  have  possessed  every  one,  and  the  common  drudgery  of 
the  vessel  appeared  contemptible.  Here  was  a new  vein 
opened : a grand  theme  of  conversation  and  a topic  for 
all  sorts  of  discussions.  National  feeling  was  wrought  up. 
Jokes  were  cracked  upon  the  only  Frenchman  in  the  ship, 
and  comparisons  made  between  “ old  horse  ” and  “ soup 
meagre,”  etc.  etc. 

We  remained  in  uncertainty  as  to  this  war  for  more 
than  two  months,  when  an  arrival  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands  brought  us  the  news  of  an  amicable  arrangement 
of  the  difficulties. 

The  other  vessel  which  we  found  in  port  was  the  her- 
maphrodite brig  Avon,  from  the  Sandwich  Islands.  She 
was  fitted  up  in  handsome  style  ; fired  a gun  and  ran  her 
ensign  up  and  down  at  sunrise  and  sunset ; had  a band  of 
four  or  five  pieces  of  music  on  board,  and  appeared  rather 
like  a pleasure  yacht  than  a trader ; yet,  in  connection 
with  the  Loriotte,  Clementine,  Bolivar,  Convoy,  and  other 
small  vessels,  belonging  to  sundry  Americans  at  Oahu,  she 
carried  on  a great  trade — legal  and  illegal — in  otter  skins, 
silks,  teas,  specie,  etc.  * 

The  second  day  after  our  arrival,  a full-rigged  brig 
came  round  the  point  from  the  northward,  sailed  leisurely 
through  the  bay,  and  stood  off  again  for  the  southeast,  in 
the  direction  of  the  large  island  of  Catalina.  The  next 
day  the  Avon  got  under  weigh,  and  stood  in  the  same 
direction,  bound  for  San  Pedro.  This  might  do  for  marines 
and  Californians,  but  we  knew  the  ropes  too  well.  The 
brig  was  never  again  seen  on  the  coast,  and  the  Avon  ar- 
rived at  San  Pedro  in  about  a week,  with  a full  cargo*  of 
Canton  and  American  goods. 

This^vas  one  of  the  means  of  escaping  the  heavy  duties 
the  Mexicans  lay  upon  all  imports.  A vessel  comes  on 
the  coast,  enters  a moderate  cargo  at  Monterey,  which  is 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


197 


the  only  custom-house,  and  commences  trading.  In  a 
month  or  more,  having  sold  a large  part  of  her  cargo,  she 
stretches  over  to  Catalina,  or  other  of  the  large  uninhabited 
islands  which  lie  off  the  coast,  in  a trip  from  port  to  port, 
and  supplies  herself  with  choice  goods  from  a vessel  from 
Oahu,  which  has  been  lying  oh  and  on  the  islands,  waiting 
for  her.  Two  days  after  the  sailing  of  the  Avon,  the  Lori- 
otte  came  in  from  the  leeward,  and  without  doubt  had  also 
a snatch  at  the  brig’s  cargo. 

Tuesday , Nov . \oth,  Going  ashore,  as  usual,  in  the  gig, 
just  before  sundown,  to  bring  off  the  captain,  we  found, 
upon  taking  in  the  captain  and  pulling  off  again,  that  our 
ship,  which  lay  the  farthest  out,  had  run  up  her  ensign. 
This  meant  “ Sail  ho  ! ” of  course,  but  as  we  were  within 
the  point  we  could  see  nothing.  “ Give  way,  boys  ! Give 
way  ! Lay  out  on  your  oars,  and  long  stroke  ! ” said  the 
captain ; and  stretching  to  the  whole  length  of  our  arms, 
bending  back  again,  so  that  our  backs  touched  the  thwarts, 
we  sent  her  through  the  water  like  a rocket.  A few  minutes 
of  such  pulling  opened  the  islands,  one  after  another,  in 
range  of  the  point,  and  gave  us  a view  of  the  Canal,  where 
was  a ship,  under  top-gallant  sails,  standing  in,  with  a light 
breeze,  for  the  anchorage.  Putting  the  boat’s  head  in  the 
direction  of  the  ship,  the*  captain  told  us  to  lay  out  again ; 
and  we  needed  no  spurring,  for  the  prospect  of  boarding  a 
new  ship,  perhaps  from  home,  hearing  the  news,  and  having 
something  to  tell  of  when  we  got  back,  was  excitement 
enough  for  us,  and  we  gave  way,  with  a will.  Captain 
Nye,  of  the  Loriotte,  who  had  been  an  old  whaleman,  was 
in  the  stern-sheets,  and  fell  mightily  into  the  spirit  of  it. 
“ Bend  your  backs  and  break  your  oars  ! ” said  he.  “ Lay 
me  on,  Captain  Bunker  ! ” “ There  she  flukes ! ” and  other 

exclamations,  peculiar  to  whalemen.  In  the  meantime,  it 
fell  flat  calm,  and  being  within  a couple  of  miles  of  the  ship, 
we  expected  to  board  her  in  a few  moments,  when  a sud- 
den breeze  sprung  up,  dead  ahead  for  the  ship,  and  she 
braced  up  and  stood  off  toward  the  islands,  sharp  on  the 
larboard  tack,  making  good  way  through  the  water.  This, 
of  course,  brought  us  up,  and  we  had  only  to  * ease  larboard 
oars  ; pull  round  starboard  ! ” and  go  aboard  the  Alert, 
with  something  very  like  a flea  in  the  ear.  There  was  a 


igS  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

light  land-breeze  all  night,  and  the  ship  did  not  come  to 
anchor  until  the  next  morning. 

As  soon  as  her  anchor  was  down,  we  went  aboard,  and 
found  her  to  be  the  whale-ship,  Wilmington  and  Liverpool 
Packet,  of  New  Bedford,  last  from  the  “off-shore  ground,” 
with  nineteen  hundred  barrels  of  oil.  A “ spouter  ” we 
knew  her  to  be  as  soon  as  we  saw  her  cranes  and  boats, 
and  by  her  stump  top-gallant  masts,  and  a certain  slovenly 
look  to  the  sails,  rigging,  spars,  and  hull ; and  when  we 
got  on  board,  found  everything  to  correspond, — spouter 
fashion.  She  had  a false  deck,  which  was  rough  and  oily, 
and  cut  up  in  every  direction  by  the  chimes  of  oil  casks ; 
her  rigging  was  slack  and  turning  white  ; no  paint  on  the 
spars  or  blocks  ; clumsy  seizing  and  straps  without  covers, 
and  homeward-bound  splices  in  every  direction.  Pier  crew, 
too,  were  not  in  much  better  order.  Her  captain  was  a 
slab-sided,  shamble-legged  Quaker,  in  a suit  of  brown,  with 
a broad-brimmed  hat,  and  sneaking  about  decks,  like  a 
sheep,  with  his  head  down  ; and  the  men  looked  more  like 
fishermen  and  farmers  than  they  did  like  sailors. 

Though  it  was  by  no  means  cold  weather,  (we  having 
on  only  our  red  shirts  and  duck  trowsers,)  they  all  had  on 
woollen  trowsers — not  blue  and  ship-shape — but  of  all 
colors — brown,  drab,  gray,  aye,  a*h d green,  with  suspenders 
over  their  shoulders,  and  pockets  to  put  their  hands  in. 
This  added  to  guernsey  frocks,  striped  comforters  about 
the  neck,  thick  cowhide  boots,  woollen  caps,  and  a strong, 
oily  smell,  and  a decidedly  green  look,  will  complete  the 
description.  Eight  or  ten  were  on  the  fore  top  sail  yard, 
and  as  many  more  in  the  main,  furling  the  top-sails,  while 
eight  or  ten  were  hanging  about  the  forecastle,  doing  noth- 
ing. This  was  a strange  sight  for  a vessel  coming  to  anchor ; 
so  we  went  up  to  them,  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  One  of 
them,  a stout,  hearty-looking  fellow,  held  out  his  leg  and 
said  he  had  the  scurvy ; another  had  cut  his  hand  ; and 
others  had  got  nearly  well,  but  said  that  there  were  plenty 
aloft  to  furl  the  sails,  so  they  were  sogering  on  the  fore- 
castle. There  was  only  one  “ splicer  ” on  board,  a fine 
looking  old  tar,  who  was  in  the  bunt  of  the  fore  top-sail. 
He  was  probably  the  only  sailor  in  the  ship,  before  the 
mast.  The  mates,  of  course,  and  the  boat-steerers,  and 
also  two  or  three  of  her  crew,  had  been  to  sea  before,  but 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


!99 


only  whaling  voyages  ; and  the  greater  part  of  the  crew 
were  raw  hands,  just  from  the  bush,  as  green  as  cabbages, 
and  had  not  yet  got  the  hay-seed  out  of  their  heads.  The 
mizen  top-sail  hung  in  the  bunt-lines  until  everything  was 
furled  forward.  Thus  a crew  of  thirty  men  were  half  an 
hour  in  doing  what  would  have  been  done  in  the  Alert,  with 
eighteen  hands  to  go  aloft  in  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes. 

We  found  they  had  been  at  sea  six  or  eight  months, 
and  had  no  news  to  tell  us  ; so  we  left  them,  and  promised 
to  get  liberty  to  come  board  in  the  evening,  for  some  curi- 
osities, etc.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as  we  were  knocked  off 
in  the  evening  and  had  got  supper,  we  obtained  leave,  took 
a boat,  and  went  aboard  and  spent  an  hour  or  two.  They 
gave  us  pieces  of  whalebone,  and  the  teeth  and  other  parts 
of  curious  sea  animals,  and  we  exchanged  books  with  them 
— a practice  very  common  among  ships  in  foreign  ports, 
by  which  you  get  rid  of  the  books  you  have  read  and  re- 
read, and  a supply  of  new  ones  in  their  stead,  and  Jack  is 
not  very  nice  as  to  their  comparative  value. 

Thursday , Nov.  12 th.  This  day  was  quite  cool  in  the 
early  part,  and  there  were  black  clouds  about ; but  as  it 
was  often  so  in  the  morning,  nothing  was  apprehended, 
and  all  the  captains  went  ashore  together,  to  spend  the  day. 
Towards  noon,  the  clouds  hung  heavily  over  the  mountains, 
coming  half  way  down  the  hills  that  encircle  the  town  of 
Santa  Barbara,  and  a heavy  swell  rolled  in  from  the  south- 
east. The  mate  immediately  ordered  the  gig’s  crew  away, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  we  saw  boats  pulling  ashore  from 
the  other  vessels.  Here  was  a grand  chance  for  a rowing 
match,  and  every  one  did  his  best.  We  passed  the  boats 
of  the  Ayacucho  and  Loriotte,  but  could  gain  nothing  upon, 
and,  indeed,  hardly  hold  our  own  with,  the  long  six-oared 
boat  of  the  whale-ship.  They  reached  the  breakers  before 
us  ; but  here  we  had  the  advantage  of  them,  for,  not  being 
used  to  the  surf,  they  were  obliged  to  wait  to  see  us  beach 
our  boat,  just  as,  in  the  same  place,  nearly  a year  before, 
we,  in  the  Pilgrim  were  glad  to  be  taught  by  a boat’s  crew 
of  Kanakas. 

We  had  hardly  got  the  boats  beached,  and  their  heads 
out,  before  our  old  friend.  Bill  Jackson,  the  handsome  Eng- 
lish sailor,  who  steered  the  Loriotte’s  boat,  called  out  that 
the  brig  was  adrift ; and  sure  enough,  she  was  dragging. 


200 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


her  anchors,  and  drifting  down  into  the  bight  of  the  bay. 
Without  waiting  for  the  captain,  (for  there  was  no  one  on 
board  but  the  mate  and  steward,)  he  sprung  into  the  boat, 
called  the  Kanakas  together,  and  tried  to  put  off.  But  the 
Kanakas,  though  capital  water  dogs,  were  frightened  by 
their  vessel's  being  adrift,  and  by  the  emergency  of  the 
case,  and  seemed  to  lose  their  faculty.  Twice,  their  boat 
filled,  and  came  broadside  upon  the  beach.  Jackson  swore 
at  them  for  a parcel  of  savages,  and  promised  to  flog  everj 
one  of  them.  This  made  the  matter  no  better;  when  we 
came  forward,  told  the  Kanakas  to  take  their  seats  in 
the  boat,  and,  going  two  on  each  side,  walked  out  with  her 
till  it  was  up  to  our  shoulders,  and  gave  them  a shove,  when, 
giving  way  with  their  oars,  they  got  her  safely  into  the 
long,  regular  swell.  In  the  meantime,  boats  had  put  off 
from  our  ship  and  the  whaler,  and  coming  all  on  board  the 
brig  together,  they  let  go  the  other  anchor,  paid  out  chain, 
braced  the  yards  to  the  wind,  and  brought  the  vessel  up. 

In  a few  minutes,  the  captain  came  hurrying  down,  on 
the  run  ; and  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  for  the  gale 
promised  to  be  a severe  one,  and  the  surf  was  breaking 
upon  the  beach,  three  deep,  higher  and  higher  every  in- 
stant. The  Ayacucho's  boat,  pulled  by  four  Kanakas,  put 
off  first,  and  as  they  had  no  rudder  or  steering  oar,  would 
probably  never  have  got  off,  had  we  not  waded  out  with 
them,  as  far  as  the  surf  would  permit.  The  next  that  made 
the  attempt  was  the  whale-boat,  for  we,  being  the  most  ex- 
perienced “ beach-combers,"  needed  no  help,  and  staid  till 
the  last.  Whalemen  make  the  best  boats'  crew  in  the  world 
for  a long  pull,  but  this  landing  was  new  to  them,  and  not- 
withstanding the  examples  they  had  had,  they  slued  round 
and  were  hove  up — boat,  oars,  and  men — all  together,  high 
and  dry  upon  the  sand.  The  second  time,  they  filled,  and 
had  to  turn  their  boat  over,  and  set  her  off  again.  We 
could  be  of  no  help  to  them,  for  they  were  so  many  as 
to  be  in  one  another's  way,  without  the  addition  of  our 
numbers.  The  third  time,  they  got  off,  though  not  without 
shipping  a sea  which  drenched  them  all,  and  half  filled 
their  boat,  keeping  them  baling,  until  they  reached  their 
ship.  We  now  got  ready  to  go  off,  putting  the  boat's  head 
out;  English  Ben  and  I,  who  were  the  largest,  standing’on 
each  side  of  the  bows,  to  keep  her  “ head  on  " to  the  sea, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


201 


two  more  shipping  and  manning  the  two  after  oars,  and  the 
captain  taking  the  steering  oar.  Two  or  three  Spaniards, 
who  stood  upon  the  beach  looking  at  us,  wrapped  their 
cloaks  about  them,  shook  their  heads,  and  muttered,  “ Ca- 
ramba  ! ” They  had  no  taste  for  such  doings  ; in  fact,  the 
hydrophobia  is  a national  malady,  and  shows  itself  in  then- 
persons  as  well  as  their  actions. 

Watching  a “ smooth  chance,”  we  determined  to  show 
the  other  boats  the  way  it  should  be  done ; and  as  soon  as 
ours  floated,  ran  out  with  her,  keeping  her  head  on,  with 
all  our  strength,  and  the  help  of  the  captain’s  oar,  and 
the  two  after  oarsmen  giving  way  regularly  and  strongly, 
until  our  feet  were  off  the  ground,  we  tumbled  into  the  bows, 
keeping  perfectly  still,  from  fear  of  hindering  the  others. 
For  some  time  it  was  doubtful  how  it  would  go.  The  boat 
stood  nearly  up  and  down  in  the  water,  and  the  sea,  roll- 
ing from  under  her,  let  her  fall  upon  the  water  with  a force 
which  seemed  almost  to  stave  her  bottom  in.  By  quietly 
sliding  two  oars  forward,  along  the  thwarts,  without  im- 
peding the  rowers,  we  shipped  two  bow  oars,  and  thus,  by 
the  help  of  four  oars  and  the  captain’s  strong  arm,  we  got 
safely  off,  though  we  shipped  several  seas,  which  left  us 
half  full  of  water.  We  pulled  alongside  of  the  Loriotte, 
put  her  skipper  on  board,  and  found  her  making  prepara- 
tions for  slipping,  and  then  pulled  aboard  our  own  ship. 
Here  Mr.  Brown,  always  “ on  hand,”  had  got  everything 
ready,  so  that  we  had  only  to  hook  on  the  gig  and  hoist  it 
up,  when  the  order  was  given  to  loose  the  sails.  While  we 
were  on  the  yards,  we  saw  the  Loriotte  under  weigh,  and 
before  our  yards  were  mastheaded,  the  Ayacucho  had 
spread  her  wings,  and,  with  yards  braced  sharp  up,  was 
standing  athwart  our  hawse.  There  is  no  prettier  sight  in 
the  world  than  a full  rigged,  clipper  built  brig,  sailing  sharp 
on  the  wind.  In  a moment,  our  slip- rope  was  gone,  the 
head  yards  filled  away;  and  we  were  off.  Next  came  the 
whaler ; and  in  a half  an  hour  from  the  time  when  four  ves- 
sels were  lying  quietly  at  anchor,  without  a rag  out,  or  a 
sign  of  motion,  the  bay  was  deserted,  and  four  white  clouds 
were  standing  off  to  sea,  Being  sure  of  clearing  the  point, 
we  stood  off  with  our  yards  a little  braced  in,  while  the  Aya- 
cucho went  off  with  a taught  bowline,  which  brought  her 
to  windward  of  us.  During  all  this  day,  and  the  greater 


•2 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


part  of  the  night,  we  had  the  usual  southeaster  entertain- 
ment, a gale  of  wind,  variegated  and  finally  topped  off  with 
a drenching  rain  of  three  or  four  hours.  At  daybreak,  the 
clouds  thinned  off  and  rolled  away,  and  the  sun  came  up 
clear.  The  wind,  instead  of  coming  out  from  the  north- 
ward, as  is  usual,  blew  steadily  and  freshly  from  the  anchor* 
ing  ground.  This  was  bad  for  us,  for,  being  “ flying  light,” 
with  little  more  than  ballast  trim,  we  were  in  no  condition 
for  showing  off  on  a taught  bowline,  and  had  depended 
upon  a fair  wind,  with  which,  by  the  help  of  our  light  sails 
and  studdingsails,  we  meant  to  have  been  the  first  at  the 
anchoring  ground ; but  the  Ayacucho  was  a good  league 
to  windward  of  us,  and  was  standing  in,  in  fine  style.  The 
whaler,  however,  was  as  far  to  leeward  of  us,  and  the 
Loriotte  was  nearly  out  of  sight,  among  the  islands,  up  the 
Canal.  By  hauling  every  brace  and  bowline,  and  clapping 
watch-tackles  upon  all  the  sheets  and  halyards,  we  man- 
aged to  hold  our  own,  and  drop  the  leeward  vessels  a little 
in  every  tack.  When  we  reached  the  anchoring  ground, 
the  Ayacucho  had  got  her  anchor,  furled  her  sails,  squared 
her  yards,  and  was  lying  quietly  as  if  nothing  had  happened 
for  the  last  twenty-four  hours. 

We  had  our  usual  good  luck  in  getting  our  anchor  with- 
out letting  go  another,  and  were  all  snug,  with  our  boats 
at  the  boom  ends,  in  half  an  hour.  In  about  two  hours 
more,  the  whaler  came  in,  and  made  a clumsy  piece  of 
work  in  getting  her  anchor,  being  obliged  to  let  go  her  best 
bower,  and  finally  to  get  out  a kedge  and  a hawser.  They 
were  heave-ho-ing,  stopping  and  unstopping,  pawling,  cat- 
ting, and  fishing,  for  three  hours ; and  the  sails  hung  from 
the  yards  all  the  afternoon,  and  were  not  furled  until  sun- 
down. The  Loriotte  came  in  just  after  dark,  and  let  go 
her  anchor,  making  no  attempt  to  pick  up  the  other  until 
the  next  day. 

This  affair  led  to  a great  dispute  as  to  the  sailing  of  our 
ship  and  the  Ayacucho.  Bets  were  made  between  the 
captains,  and  the  crews  took  it  up  in  their  own  way ; but 
as  she  was  bound  to  leeward  and  we  to  windward,  and 
merchant  captains  cannot  deviate,  atrial  never  took  place  ; 
and  perhaps  it  was  well  for  us  that  it  did  not,  for  the 
Ayacucho  had  been  eight  years  in  the  Pacific,  in  every 
part  of  it — Valparaiso,  Sandwich  Islands,  Canton,  Cali* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


203 


fornia,  and  all,  and  was  called  the  fastest  merchantman 
that  traded  in  the  Pacific,  unless  it  was  he  brigt  John 
Gilpin,  and  perhaps  the  ship  Ann  McKim  of  Baltimore. 

Saturday  Nov . 14 th.  This  day  we  got  under  weigh, 

with  the  agent  and  several  Spaniards  of  note,  as  passengers, 
bound  up  to  Monterey.  We  went  ashore  in  the  gig  to 
bring  them  off  with  their  baggage,  and  found  them  waiting 
on  the  beach,  and  a little  afraid  about  going  off,  as  the 
surf  was  running  very  high.  This  was  nuts  to  us  ; for  we 
liked  to  have  a Spaniard  wet  with  salt  water  ; and  then 
the  agent  was  very  much  disliked  by  the  crew,  one  and 
all  ; and  we  hoped,  as  there  was  no  officer  in  the  boat,  to 
have  a chance  to  duck  them  ; for  we  knew  that  they  were 
such  “ marines  ” that  they  would  not  know  whether  it  was 
our  fault  or  not.  Accordingly,  we  kept  the  boat  so  far 
from  shore  as  to  oblige  them  to  wet  their  feet  in  getting 
into  her  ; and  then  waited  for  a good  high  comber,  and 
letting  the  head  slue  a little  round,  sent  the  whole  force 
of  the  sea  into  the  stern-sheets,  drenching  them  from  head 
to  feet.  The  Spaniards  sprang  out  of  the  boat,  swore, 
„ and  shook  themselves,  and  protested  against  trying  it 
again  ; and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  the  agent 
could  prevail  upon  them  to  make  another  attempt.  The 
next  time  we  took  care,  and  went  off  easily  enough,  and 
pulled  aboard.  The  crew  came  to  the  side  to  hoist  in  their 
baggage,  and  we  gave  them  the  wink,  and  they  heartily 
enjoyed  the  half-drowned  looks  of  the  company. 

Everything  being  now  ready,  and  the  passengers 
aboard,  we  ran  up  the  ensign  and  broad  pennant,  (for 
there  was  no  man-of-war,  and  we  were  the  largest  vessel  on 
the  coast),  and  the  other  vessels  ran  up  their  ensigns. 
Having  hove  short,  cast  off  the  gaskets,  and  made  the 
bunt  of  each  sail  fast  by  the  jigger,  with  a man  on  each 
yard  ; at  the  word,  the  whole  canvas  of  that  ship  was 
loosed,  and  with  the  greatest  rapidity  possible,  everything 
was  sheeted  home  and  hoisted  up,  the  anchor,  tripped  and 
catheaded,  and  the  ship  under  headway.  We  were  de- 
termined to  show  the  “ spouter  ” how  things  could  be  done 
in  a smart  ship,  with  a good  crew,  though  not  more  than 
half  their  number.  The  royal  yards  were  all  crossed  at 
once,  and  royals  and  sky-sails  set,  and,  as  we  had  the  wind 
free,  the  booms  were  run  out,  and  every  one  was  aloft,  active 


204 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


as  cats,  laying  out  on  the  yards  and  booms,  reeving  the 
studding-sail  gear  ; and  sail  after  sail  the  captain  piled  upon 
her,  until  she  was  covered  with  canvas,  her  sails  looking 
like  a great  white  cloud  resting  upon  a black  speck.  Be- 
fore we  doubled  the  point,  we  were  going  at  a dashing 
rate,  and  leaving  the  shipping  far  astern.  We  had  a fine 
breeze  to  take  us  through  the  Canal,  as  they  call  this  bay 
of  forty  miles  long  by  ten  wide.  The  breeze  died  away  at 
night,  and  we  were  becalmed  all  day  on  Sunday,  about 
half  way  between  Santa  Barbara  and  Point  Conception. 
Sunday  night  tve  had  a light,  fair  wind,  which  set  us  up 
again  ; and  having  a fine  sea-breeze  on  the  first  part  of 
Monday,  we  had  the  prospect  of  passing,  without  any 
trouble,  Point  Conception, — the  Cape  Horn  of  California, 
where  it  begins  to  blow  the  first  of  January,  and  blows  all 
the  year  round.  Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon, 
however,  the  regular  northwest  wind,  as  usual,  set  in, 
which  brought  in  our  studding-sails,  and  gave  us  the 
chance  of  beating  round  the  Point,  which  we  were  new 
just  abreast  of,  and  which  stretched  off  into  the  Pacific, 
high,  rocky  and  barren,  forming  the  central  point  of  the 
coast  for  hundreds  of  miles  north  and  south.  A cap-full 
of  wind  will  be  a bag-full  here,  and  before  night  our  royals 
were  furled,  and  the  ship  was  laboring  hard  under  her 
top-gallant  sails.  At  eight  bells  our  watch  went  below, 
leaving  her  with  as  much  sail  as  she  could  stagger  under, 
the  water  flying  over  the  forecastle  at  every  plunge.  It 
was  evidently  blowing  harder,  but  then  there  was  not  a 
cloud  in  the  sky,  and  the  sun  had  gone  down  bright. 

We  had  been  below  but  a short  time,  before  we  had 
the  -usual  premonitions  of  a coming  gale  : seas  washing 
over  the  whole  forward  part  of  the  vessel,  and  her  bows 
beating  against  them  with  a force  and  sound  like  the  driv- 
ing of  piles.  The  watch,  too,  seemed  very  busy  trampling 
about  decks,  and  singing  out  at  the  ropes.  A sailor  can 
always  tell,  by  the  sound,  what  sail  is  coming  in,  and,  in  a 
short  time,  we  heard  the  top-gallant  sails  come  in,  one 
after  another,  and  then  the  flying  jib.  This  seemed  to 
ease  her  a good  deal,  and  we  were  fast  going  off  to  the 
land  of  Nod,  when — bang,  bang,  bang — on  the  scuttle, 
and  “ All  hands,  reef  top-sails,  ahoy  ! ” started  us  out4 
of  our  berths  ; and,  it  not  being  very  cold  weather,  w§ 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


20  r 


had  nothing  extra  to  put  on,  and  were  soon  on  deck.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  fineness  of  the  sight.  It  was  a 
clear,  and  rather  a chilly  night  ; the  stars  were  twink- 
ling with  an  intense  brightness,  and  as  far  as  the  eyes 
could  reach,  there  was  not  a cloud  to  be  seen.  The 
horizon  met  the  sea  in  a defined  line.  A painter  could 
not  have  painted  so  clear  a sky.  There  was  not  a speck 
upon  it.  Yet  it  was  blowing  great  guns  from  the  north- 
west. When  you  can  see  a cloud  to  windward,  you  feel 
that  there  is  a place  for  the  wind  to  come  from  ; but  here, 
it  seemed  to  come  from  nowhere.  No  person  could  have 
told,  from  the  heavens,  by  their  eyesight  alone,  that  it  was 
not  a still  summer’s  night.  One  reef  after  another,  we 
took  in  the  top-sails,  and  before  we  could  get  them  hoisted 
up,  we  heard  a sound  like  a short,  quick  rattling  of 
thunder,  and  the  jib  was  blown  to  atoms  out  of  the  bolt- 
rope.  We  got  the  top-sails  set,  and  the  fragments  of  the 
jib  stowed  away,  and  the  fore  top-mast  stay-sail,  set  in  its 
place,  when  the  great  main-sail  gaped  open,  and  the  sail 
ripped  from  head  to  foot.  “ Lay  up  on  that  main-yard 
and  furl  the  sail,  before  it  blows  to  tatters  ! ” shouted  the 
captain  ; and  in  a moment,  we  were  up,  gathering  the  re- 
mains of  it  upon  the  yard.  We  got  it  wrapped  round  the 
yard,  and  passed  gaskets  over  it  as  snugly  as  possible,  and 
were  just  on  deck  again,  when,  with  another  loud  rent, 
‘which  was  heard  throughout  the  ship,  the  fore  topsail, 
wnich  had  been  double-reefed,  split  in  two,  athwartships, 
just  below  the  reef  band,  from  earing  to  earing.  Here 
again  it  was  down  yard,  haul  out  reef-tackles,  and  lay  out 
upon  the  yard  for  reefing.  By  hauling  the  reef-tackles 
chock-a-block,  we  took  the  strain  from  the  other  earings, 
and  passing  the  close-reef  earing,  and  knotting  the  points 
carefully,  we  succeeded  in  setting  the  sail,  close-reefed. 

We  had  but  just  got  the  rigging  coiled  up,  and  were 
waiting  to  hear  “go  below  the  watch !”  when  the  main 
royal  worked  loose  from  the  gaskets,  and  blew  directly  out 
to  leeward,  flapping,  and  shaking  the  mast  like  a wand. 
Here  was  a job  for  somebody.  The  royal  must  come  in 
or  be  cut  adrift,  or  the  mast  would  be  snapped  short  off. 
All  the  light  hands  in  the  starboard  watch  were  sent  up, 
- one  after  another,  but  they  could  do  nothing  with  it.  At 
length,  John,  the  tall  Frenchman,  the  head  of  the  star- 


206 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


board  watch,  (and  a better  sailor  never  stepped  upon  a 
deck,)  sprang  aloft,  and,  by  the  help  of  his  long  arms  and 
legs,  succeeded,  after  a hard  struggle, — the  sail  blowing 
over  the  yard-arm  to  leeward,  and  the  sky-sail  blowing 
directly  over  his  head, — in  smothering  it,  and  trapping  it 
with  long  pieces  of  sinnet.  He  came  very  near  being 
blown  or  shaken  from  the  yard,  several  times,  but  he  was 
a true  sailor,  every  finger  a fish-hook.  Having  made  the 
sail  snug,  he  prepared  to  send  the  yard  down,  which  was  a 
long  and  difficult  job  ; for,  frequently,  he  was  obliged  to 
stop  and  hold  on  with  all  his  might,  for  several  minutes, 
the  ship  pitching  so  as  to  make  it  impossible  to  do  any- 
thing else  at  that  height.  The  yard  at  length  came  down 
safe,  and  after  it,  the  fore  and  mizen  royal-yards  were  sent 
down.  All  hands  were  then  sent  aloft,  and  for  an  hour  or 
two  we  were  hard  at  work,  making  the  booms  well  fast ; 
unreeving  the  studding-sail  and  royal  and  sky-sail  gear ; 
getting  rolling-ropes  on  the  yards  ; setting  up  the  weather 
breast-backstays ; and  making  other  preparations  for  a 
storm.  It  was  a fine  night  for  a gale  ; just  cool  and 
bracing  enough  for  quick  work,  without  being  cold,  and  as 
bright  as  day.  It  was  sport  to  have  a gale  in  such  weather 
as  this.  Yet  it  blew  like  a hurricane.  The  wind  seemed 
to  come  with  a spite,  an  edge  to  it,  which  threatened  to 
scrape  us  off  the  yards.  The  mere  force  of  the  wind  was 
greater  than  I had  ever  seen  it  before  ; but  darkness,  cold 
and  wet  are  the  worst  parts  of  a storm,  to  a sailor. 

Having  got  on  deck  again,  we  looked  round  to  see 
what  time  of  night  it  was,  and  whose  watch.  In  a few 
minutes  the  man  at  the  wheel  struck  four  bells,  and  we 
found  that  the  other  watch  was  out,  and  our  own  half  out. 
Accordingly,  the  starboard  watch  went  below,  and  left  the 
ship  to  us  for  a couple  of  hours,  yet  with  orders  to  stand 
by  for  a call. 

Hardly  had  they  got  below,  before  away  went  the  fore 
top-mast  stay-sail,  blown  to  ribbons.  This  was  a small 
sail,  whieh  we  could  manage  in  the  watch,  so  that  we  were 
not  obliged  to  call  up  the  other  watch.  We  laid  out  upon 
the  bowsprit,  where  we  were  under  water  half  the  time, 
and  took  in  the  fragments  of  the  sail,  and  as  she  must 
have  some  head  sail  on  her,  prepared  to  bend  another 
stay-sail.  We  got  the  new  one  out,  into  the  nettings; 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


20J 


seized  on  the  tack,  sheets,  and  halyards,  and  the  hanks  ; 
manned  the  halyards,  cut  adrift  the  frapping  lines,  and 
hoisted  away ; but  before  it  was  half  way  up  the  stay,  it 
was  blown  all  to  pieces.  When  we  belayed  the  halyards, 
there  was  nothing  left  but  the  bolt-rope.  Now  large  eyes 
began  to  show  themselves  in  the  foresail,  and  knowing 
that  it  must  soon  go,  the  mate  ordered  us  upon  the  yard  to 
furl  it.  Being  unwilling  to  call  up  the  watch  who  had 
been  on  deck  all  night,  he  roused  out  the  carpenter,  sail- 
maker,  cook,  steward,  and  other  idlers,  and,  with  their 
help,  we  manned  the  fore-yard,  and,  after  nearly  half  an 
hour’s  struggle,  mastered  the  sail,  and  got  it  well  furled 
round  the  yard.  The  force  of  the  wind  had  never  been 
greater  than  at  this  moment.  In  going  up  the  rigging,  it 
seemed  absolutely  to  pin  us  down  to  the  shrouds;  and  on 
the  yard,  there  was  no  such  thing  as  turning  a face  to 
windward.  Yet  here  was  no  driving  sleet,  and  darkness, 
and  wet,  and  cold,  as  off  Cape  Horn  ; and  instead  of  a 
stiff  oil-cloth  suit,  southwester  caps,  and  thick  boots,  we 
had  on  hats,  round  jackets,  duck  trowsers,  light  shoes,  and 
everything  light  and  easy.  All  these  things  make  a great 
difference  to  a sailor.  When  we  got  on  deck,  the  man  at 
the  wheel  struck  eight  bells,  (four  o’clock  in  the  morning,) 
and  “ All  starbowlines,  ahoy  ! ” brought  the  other  watch 
up.  But  there  was  no  going  below  for  us.  The  gale  was 
now  at  its  height,  “blowing  like  scissors  and  thumb- 
screws ; ” the  captain  was  on  deck  ; the  ship,  which  was 
light,  rolling  and  pitching  as  though  she  would  shake  the 
lang  sticks  out  of  her ; and  the  sails  gaping  open  and 
splitting,  in  every  direction.  The  mizen  top-sail,  which 
was  a comparatively  new  sail,  and  close-reefed,  split,  from 
head  to  foot,  in  the  bunt ; the  fore  top-sail  went,  in  one 
rent,  from  clew  to  earing,  and  was  blowing  to  tatters ; one 
of  the  chain  bobstays  parted  ; the  sprit-sail  yard  sprung  in 
the  slings ; the  martingale  had  slued  away  off  to  leeward ; 
and,  owing  to  the  long  dry  weather,  the  lee  rigging  hung 
in  large  bights,  at  every  lurch.  One  of  the  main  top- 
gallant shrouds  had  parted ; and,  to  crown  all,  the  galley 
had  got  adrift,  and  gone  over  to  leeward,  and  the  anchor 
on  the  lee  bow  had  worked  loose,  and  was  thumping  the 
side.  Here  was  work  enough  for  all  hands  for  half  a day. 
Our  gang  laid  out  on  the  mizen  top-sail  yard,  and  after 


208  TWO  years  before  the  mast 

more  than  half  an  hour’s  hard  work,  furled  the  sail,  though 
it  bellied  out  over  our  heads,  and  again,  by  a slat  of  the 
wind,  blew  it  under  the  yard,  with  a fearful  jerk,  and 
almost  threw  us  off  from  the  foot-ropes. 

Double  gaskets  were  passed  round  the  yards,  rolling 
tackles  and  other  gear  bowsed  taught,  and  everything 
made  as  secure  as  could  be.  Coming  down,  we  found  the 
rest  of  the  crew  just  laying  down  the  fore  rigging,  having 
furled  the  tattered  top-sail,  or,  rather,  swathed  it  round 
the  yard,  which  looked  like  a broken  limb,  bandaged. 
There  was  no  sail  now  on  the  ship  but  the  spanker  and 
the  close-reefed  main  top-sail,  which  still  held  good.  But 
this  was  too  much  after  sail ; and  order  was  given  to  furl 
the  spanker.  The  brails  were  hauled  up,  and  all  the  light 
hands  in  the  starboard  watch  sent  out  on  the  gaff  to  pass 
the  gaskets ; but  they  could  do  nothing  with  it.  The 
second  mate  swore  at  them  for  a parcel  of  “ sogers,”  and 
sent  up  a couple  of  the  best  men  ; but  they  could  do  no 
better,  and  the  gaff  was  lowered  down.  All  hands  were 
now  employed  in  setting  up  the  lee  rigging,  fishing  the 
sprit-sail  yard,  lashing  the  galley,  and  getting  tackles  upon 
the  martingale,  to  bowse  it  to  windward.  Being  in  the  lar- 
board watch,  my  duty  was  forward,  to  assist  in  setting  up 
the  martingale.  Three  of  us  were  out  on  the  martingale 
guys  and  back-ropes  for  more  than  half  an  hour,  carrying 
out,  hooking  and  unhooking  the  tackles,  several  times 
buried  in  the  seas,  until  the  mate  ordered  us  in,  from  fear 
of  our  being  washed  off.  The  anchors  were  then  to  be 
taken  up  on  the  rail,  which  kept  all  hands  on  the  forecastle 
for  an  hour,  though  every  now  and  then  the  seas  broke 
over  it,  washing  the  rigging  off  to  leeward,  filling  the  lee 
scuppers  breast  high,  and  washing  chock  aft  to  the  taff rail. 

Having  got  everything  secure  again,  we  were  promis- 
ing ourselves  some  breakfast,  for  it  was  now  nearly  nine 
o’clock  in  the  forenoon,  when  the  main  top-sail  showed 
evident  signs  of  giving  way.  Some  sail  must  be  kept  on 
the  ship,  and  the  captain  ordered  the  fore  and  main 
spencer  gaffs  to  be  lowered  down,  and  the  two  spencers 
(which  were  storm  sails,  bran  new,  small,  and  made  of  the 
strongest  canvas)  to  be  got  up  and  bent ; leaving  the 
main  top-sail  to  blow  away,  with  a blessing  on  it,  if  it 
would  only  last  until  we  could  set  the  spencers.  These 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


209 

we  bent  on  very  carefully,  with  strong  robands  and  seiz- 
ings, and  making  tackles  fast  to  the  clues,  bowsed  them 
down  to  the  water-ways.  By  this  time  the  main  top-sail 
was  among  the  things  that  have  been,  and  we  went  aloft 
to  stow  away  the  remnant  of  the  last  sail  of  all  those 
which  were  on  the  ship  twenty-four  hours  before.  The 
spencers  were  now  the  only  whole  sails  on  the  ship,  and 
being  strong  and  small,  and  near  the  deck,  presenting  but 
little  surface  to  the  wind  above  the  rail,  promised  to  hold 
out  well.  Hove-to  under  these,  and  eased  by  having  no 
sail  above  the  tops,  the  ship  rose  and  fell,  and  drifted  off 
to  leeward  like  a line-of-battle  ship. 

It  was  now  eleven  o’clock,  and  the  watch  was  sent  be- 
low to  get  breakfast,  and  at  eight  bells  (noon),  as  every- 
thing was  snug,  although  the  gale  had  not  in  the  least 
abated,  the  watch  was  set,  and  the  other  watch  and  idlers 
sent  below.  For  three  days  and  three  nights,  the  gale 
continued  with  unabated  fury,  and  with  singular  regularity. 
There  were  no  lulls,  and  very  little  variation  in  its  fierce- 
ness. Our  ship,  being  light,  rolled  so  as  almost  to  send 
the  fore  yard-arm  under  water,  and  drifted  off  bodily,  to 
leeward.  All  this  time  there  was  not  a cloud  to  be  seen  in 
the  sky,  day  or  night ; — no,  not  so  large  as  a man’s  hand. 
Every  morning  the  sun  rose  cloudless  from  the  sea,  and 
set  again  at  night,  in  the  sea,  in  a flood  of  light.  The 
stars,  too,  came  out  of  the  blue,  one  after  another,  night 
after  night,  unobscured,  and  twinkled  as  clear  as  on  a still 
frosty  night  at  home,  until  the  day  came  upon  them.  All 
this  time,  the  sea  was  rolling  in  immense  surges,  white 
with  foam,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  on  every  side, 
for  we  were  now  leagues  and  leagues  from  shore. 

The  between-decks  being  empty,  several  of  us  slept 
there  in  hammocks,  which  are  the  best  things  in  the  world 
to  sleep  in  during  a storm  ; it  not  being  true  of  them,  as 
it  is  of  another  kind  of  bed,  “ when  the  wind  blows,  the 
cradle  will  rock  ” ; for  it  is  the  ship  that  rocks,  while  they 
always  hang  vertically  from  the  beams.  During  these 
seventy-two  hours  we  had  nothing  to  do,  but  to  turn  in  and 
out,  four  hours  on  deck,  and  four  below,  eat,  sleep,  and 
keeo  watch.  The  watches  were  only  varied  by  taking  the 
helm  in  turn,  and  now  and  then,  by  one  of  the  sails,  which 
w *e  furled,  blowing  out  of  the  gaskets,  and  getting  adrift, 


*10 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


which  sent  us  up  on  the  yards  ; and  by  getting  tackles  on 
different  parts  of  the  rigging,  which  were  slack.  Once, 
the  wheel-rope  parted,  which  might  have  been  fatal  to  us, 
had  not  the  chief  mate  sprung  instantly  with  a relieving 
tackle  to  windward,  and  kept  the  tiller  up,  till  a new  one 
could  be  rove.  On  the  morning  of  the  twentieth,  at  day- 
break, the  gale  had  evidently  done  its  worst,  and  had 
somewhat  abated  ; so  much  so,  that  all  hands  were  called 
to  bend  new  sails,  although  it  was  still  blowing  as  hard 
as  two  common  gales.  One  at  a time,  and  with  great 
difficulty  and  labor,  the  old  sails  were  unbent  and  sent 
down  by  the  buntlines,  and  three  new  top-sails,  made  for 
the  homeward  passage  round  Cape  Horn,  and  which  had 
never  been  bent,  were  got  up  from  the  sail-room,  and, 
under  the  care  of  the  sailmaker,  were  fitted  for  bending, 
and  sent  up  by  the  halyards  into  the  tops,  and,  with  stops 
and  trapping  lines,  were  bent  to  the  yards,  close-reefed, 
sheeted  home,  and  hoisted.  These  were  done  one  at  a 
time,  and  with  the  greatest  care  and  difficulty.  Two  spare 
courses  were  then  got  up  and  bent  in  the  same  manner  and 
furled,  and  a storm-jib,  with  the  bonnet  off,  bent  and  furled 
to  the  boom.  It  was  twelve  o’clock  before  we  got  through  ; 
and  five  hours  of  more  exhausting  labor  I never  ex- 
perienced ; and  no  one  of  that  ship’s  crew,  I will  venture 
to  say,  will  ever  desire  again  to  unbend  and  bend  five 
large  sails,  in  the  teeth  of  a tremendous  northwester. 
Towards  night,  a few  clouds  appeared  in  the  horizon,  and 
as  the  gale  moderated,  the  usual  appearance  of  driving 
clouds  relieved  the  face  of  the  sky.  The  fifth  day  after 
the  commencement  of  the  storm,  we  shook  a reef  out  of 
each  top-sail,  and  set  the  reefed  fore-sail,  jib,  and  spanker  ; 
but  it  was  not  until  after  eight  days  of  reefed  top-sails  that 
we  had  a whole  sail  on  the  ship ; and  then  it  was  quite 
soon  enough,  for  the  captain  was  anxious  to  make  up  for 
leeway,  the  gale  having  blown  us  half  the  distance  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands. 

Inch  by  inch,  as  fast  as  the  gale  would  permit,  we  made 
sail  on  the  ship,  for  the  wind  still  continued  a-head,  and 
we  had  many  days’  sailing  to  get  back  to  the  longitude  we 
were  in  when  the  storm  took  us.  For  eight  days  more  we 
beat  to  windward  under  a stiff  top-gallant  breeze,  when  the 
wind  shifted  and  became  variable.  A light  southeaster, 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


2 1 1 


to  which  we  could  carry  a reefed  top-mast  studding-sail, 
did  wonders  for  our  dead  reckoning. 

Friday , December  \th , after  a passage  of  twenty  days, 
we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay  of  San  Francisco, 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

OuRjdace  of  destination  had  been  Monterey,  but  as 
we  were  to  the  northward  of  it  when  the  wind  hauled  a- 
head,  we  made  a fair  wind  for  San  Francisco.  This  large 
bay,  which  lies  in  latitude  370  58',  was  discovered  by  Sir 
Francis  Drake,  and  by  him  represented  to  be  (as  indeed 
it  is)  a magnificent  bay,  containing  several  good  harbors, 
great  depth  of  water,  and  surrounded  by  a fertile  and 
finely-wooded  country.  About  thirty  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  bay,  and  on  the  southeast  side,  is  a high  point 
upon  which  the  presidio  is  built.  Behind  this,  is  the  har- 
bor in  which  trading  vessels  anchor,  and  near  it,  the  mis- 
sion of  San  Francisco,  and  a newly  begun  settlement, 
mostly  of  Yankee  Californians,  called  Yerba  Buena  which 
promises  well.  Here,  at  anchor,  and  the  only  vessel  was  a 
brig  under  Russian  colors,  from  Asitka,  in  Russian  Amer- 
ica, which  had  come  down  to  winter,  and  to  take  in  a sup 
ply  of  tallow  and  grain,  great  quantities  of  which  latter  ar- 
ticle are  raised  in  the  missions  at  the  head  of  the  bay. 
The  second  day  after  our  arrival,  we  went  on  board  the 
brig,  it  being  Sunday,  as  a matter  of  curiosity ; and  there 
was  enough  there  to  gratify  it.  Though  no  larger  than  the 
Pilgrim,  she  had  five  or  six  officers,  and  a crew  of  between 
twenty  and  thirty  ; and  such  a stupid  and  greasy-looking 
set,  I certainly  never  saw  before.  Although  it  was  quite 
comfortable  weather,  and  we  had  nothing  on  but  straw 
hats,  shirts,  and  duck  trowsers,  and  were  barefooted,  they 
had,  every  man  of  them,  doubled-soled  boots,  coming 
up  to  the  knees,  and  well  greased  ; thick  woollen  trowsers, 
frocks,  waistcoats,  pea-jackets,  woollen  caps,  and  everything 
in  true  Nova  Zembla  rig ; and  in  the  warmest  days  they 
made  no  change.  The  clothing  of  one  of  these  men  would 
weigh  nearly  as  much  as  that  of  half  our  crew.  They  had 


212 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST, 


brutish  faces,  looked  like  the  antipodes  of  sailors,  and  ap* 
parently  dealt  in  nothing  but  grease.  They  lived  upon 
grease  ; eat  it,  drank  it,  slept  in  the  midst  of  it,  and  their 
clothes  were  covered  with  it.  To  a Russian,  grease  is  the 
greatest  luxury.  They  looked  with  greedy  eyes  upon  the 
tallow-bags  as  they  were  taken  into  the  vessel,  and,  no 
doubt,  would  have  eaten  one  up  whole,  had  not  the  officer 
kept  watch  over  it.  The  grease  seemed  actually  coming 
through  their  pores,  and  out  in  their  hair,  and  on  their 
faces.  It  seems  as  if  it  were  this  saturation  which  makes 
them  stand  cold  and  rain  so  well.  If  they  were  to  go  into 
a warm  climate,  they  would  all  die  of  the  scurvy. 

The  vessel  was  no  better  than  the  crew.  Everything 
was  in  the  oldest  and  most  inconvenient  fashion  possible  : 
running  trusses  on  the  yards,  and  large  hawser  cables, 
coiled  all  over  the  decks,  and  served  and  parcelled  in  all 
directions.  The  top-masts,  top-gallant  masts,  and  studding- 
sail-booms  were  nearly  black  for  want  of  scraping,  and  the 
decks  would  have  turned  the  stomach  of  a man-of-war’s- 
man,  The  galley  was  down  in  the  forecastle;  and  there 
the  crew  lived,  in  the  midst  of  the  steam  and  grease  of  the 
cooking,  in  a place  as  hot  as  an  oven,  and  as  dirty  as  a pig- 
sty. Five  minutes  in  the  forecastle  was  enough  for  us,  and 
we  were  glad  to  get  into  the  open  air.  We  made  some 
trade  with  them,  buying  Indian  curiosities,  of  which  they 
had  a great  number;  such  as  bead-work,  feathers  of  birds, 
fur  mocassins,  etc.  I purchased  a large  robe,  made  of  the 
skins  of  some  animal,  dried  and  sewed  nicely  together,  and 
covered  all  over  on  the  outside  with  thick  downy  feathers, 
taken  from  the  breasts  of  various  birds,  and  arranged  with 
their  different  colors,  so  as  to  make  a brilliant  show. 

A few  days  after  our  arrival,  the  rainy  season  set  in,  and, 
for  three  weeks,  it  rained  almost  every  hour,  without  cessa- 
tion. This  was  bad  for  our  trade,  for  the  collecting  of  hides 
is  managed  differently  in  this  port  from  what  it  is  in  any 
other  on  the  coast.  The  mission  of  San  Francisco,  near 
the  anchorage,  has  no  trade  at  all,  but 'those  of  San  Jose. 
Santa  Clara,  and  others,  situated  on  large  creeks  or  rivers 
which  run  into  the  bay,  and  distant  between  fifteen  and 
forty  miles  from  the  anchorage,  do  a greater  business  in 
hides  than  any  in  California.  Large  boats,  manned  by  In- 
dians, and  capable  of  carrying  nearly  a thousand  hides 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


213 


apiece,  are  attached  to  the  missions,  and  sent  down  to  the 
vessels  with  hides,  to  bring  away  goods  in  return.  Some 
of  the  crews  of  the  vessels  are  obliged  to  go  and  come  in 
the  boats,  to  look  out  for  the  hides  and  goods.  These  are 
favorite  expeditions  with  the  sailors,  in  fine  weather ; but 
now,  to  be  gone  three  or  four  days,  in  open  boats,  in  con- 
stant rain,  without  any  shelter,  and  with  cold  food,  was 
hard  service.  Two  of  our  men  went  up  to  Santa  Clara  in 
one  of  these  boats  and  were  gone  three  days,  during  all 
which  time  they  had  a constant  rain,  and  did  not  sleep  a 
wink,  but  passed  three  long  nights,  walking  fore  and  aft  the 
boat,  in  the  open  air.  When  they  got  on  board,  they  were 
completely  exhausted,  and  took  a watch  below  of  twelve 
hours.  All  the  hides,  too,  that  came  down  in  the  boats, 
were  soaked  with  water,  and  unfit  to  put  below,  so  that  we 
were  obliged  to  trice  them  up  to  dry,  in  the  intervals  of 
sunshine  or  wind,  upon  all  parts  of  the  vessel.  We  got  up 
tricing-lines  from  the  jib- boom-end  to  each  arm  of  the  fore 
yard,  and  thence  to  the  main  and  cross-jack  yard-arms. 
Between  the  tops,  too,  and  the  mast-heads,  from  the  fore 
to  the  main  swifters,  and  thence  to  the  mizen  rigging,  and 
in  all  directions  athwart-ships,  tricing-lines  were  run,  and 
strung  with  hides.  The  head  stays  and  guys,  and  the  sprit- 
sail  yard,  were  lined,  and,  having  still  more,  we  got  out  the 
swinging  booms,  and  strung  them  and  the  forward  and 
after  guys,  with  hides.  The  rail,  fore  and  aft,  the  windlass, 
capstan,  the  sides  of  the  ship,  and  every  vacant  place  on 
deck,  were  covered  with  wet  hides,  on  the  least  sign  of  an 
interval  for  drying.  Our  ship  was  nothing  but  a mass  of 
hides,  from  the  cat-harpins  to  the  water's  edge,  and  from 
the  jib-boom-end  to  the  taffrail. 

One  cold  rainy  evening,  about  eight  o’clock,  I received  or- 
ders to  get  ready  to  start  for  San  Jose  at  four  the  next  morn- 
ing, in  one  of  these  Indian  boats,  with  four  days'  provisions. 
I got  my  oil-cloth  clothes,  southwester,  and  thick  boots 
all  ready,  and  turned  into  my  hammock  early,  determined 
to  get  some  sleep  in  advance,  as  the  boat  was  to  be  along- 
side before  daybreak.  I slept  on  till  all  hands  were  call- 
ed in  the  morning ; for,  fortunately  for  me,  the  Indians, 
intentionally,  or  from  mistaking  their  orders,  had  gone  oil 
alone  in  the  night,  and  were  far  out  of  sight.  Thus  I 
escaped  three  or  four  days  of  very  uncomfortable  service. 


214 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


Four  of  our  men,  a few  days  afterwards,  went  up  in  one 
of  the  quarter-boats  to  Santa  Clara,  to  carry  the  agent,  and 
remained  out  all  night  in  a drenching  rain,  in  the  small 
boat,  where  there  was  not  room  for  them  to  turn  round ; 
the  agent  having  gone  up  to  the  mission  and  left  the 
men  to  their  fate,  making  no  provision  for  their  accommoda- 
tion, and  not  even  sending  them  anything  to  eat.  After 
this,  they  had  to  pull  thirty  miles,  and  when  they  got  on 
board,  were  so  stiff  that  they  could  not  come  up  the  gang- 
way ladder.  This  filled  up  the  measure  of  the  agent’s  un- 
popularity, and  never  after  this  could  he  get  anything  done 
by  any  of  the  crew ; and  many  a delay  and  vexation,  and 
many  a good  ducking  in  the  surf,  did  he  get  to  pay  up  the 
old  scores,  or  “ square  the  yards  with  the  bloody  quill- 
driver.” 

Having  collected  nearly  all  the  hides  that  were  to 
be  procured,  we  began  our  preparations  for  taking  in  a 
supply  of  wood  and  water,  for  both  of  which,  San 
Francisco  is  the  best  place  on  the  cost.  A small  isl- 
and, situated  about  two  leagues  from  the  anchorage, 
called  by  us  “ Wood  Island,”  and  by  the  Spaniards  “ Isla 
de  los  Angelos,”  was  covered  with  trees  to  the  water’s 
edge ; and  to  this,  two  of  our  crew,  who  were  Kennebec 
men,  and  could  handle  an  axe  like  a plaything,  were  sent 
every  morning  to  cut  wood,  with  two  boys  to  pile  it  up  for 
them.  In  about  a week,  they  had  cut  enough  to  last  us  a 
year,  and  the  third  mate,  with  myself  and  three  others, 
were  sent  over  in  a large,  schooner-rigged,  open  launch, 
which  we  had  hired  of  the  mission,  to  take  in  the  wood, 
and  bring  it  to  the  ship.  We  left  the  ship  about  noon,  but, 
owing  to  a strong  head  wind,  and  a tide,  which  here  runs 
four  or  five  knots,  did  not  get  into  the  harbor,  formed  by 
two  points  of  the  island,  where  the  boats  lie,  until  sun- 
down. No  sooner  had  we  come-to,  than  a strong  south- 
easter, which  had  been  threatening  us  all  day,  set  in,  with 
heavy  rain  and  a chilly  atmosphere.  We  were  in  rather  a 
bad  situation  : an  open  boat,  a heavy  rain,  and  a long 
night;  for  in  winter,  in  this  latitude,  it  was  dark  nearly 
fifteen  hours.  Taking  a small  skiff  which  we  had  brought 
with  us,  we  went  ashore,  but  found  no  shelter,  for  every- 
thing was  open  to  the  rain,  and  collecting  a little  wood, 
which  we  found  by  lifting  up  the  leaves  and  brush,  and  a few 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


2l5 

muscles,  we  put  aboard  again,  and  made  the  best  prepara- 
tions in  our  power  for  passing  the  night.  We  unbent  the 
main-sail,  and  formed  an  awning  with  it  oyer  the  after  part 
of  the  boat,  made  a bed  of  wet  logs  of  wood,  and,  with  our 
jackets  on,  lay  down,  about  six  o’clock,  to  sleep.  Finding 
the  rain  running  down  upon  us,  and  our  jackets  getting 
wet  through,  and  the  rough,  knotty  logs  rather  indifferent 
couches,  we  turned  out ; and  taking  an  iron  pan  which  we 
brought  with  us,  we  wiped  it  out  dry,  put  some  stones 
around  it,  cut  the  wet  bark  from  some  sticks,  and  striking 
a light,  made  a small  fire  in  the  pan.  Keeping  some  sticks 
near,  to  dry,  and  covering  the  whole  over  with  a roof  of 
boards,  we  kept  a small  fire,  by  which  we  cooked  our 
muscles,  and  eat  them,  rather  for  an  occupation  than  from 
hunger.  Still,  it  was  not  ten  o’clock,  and  the  night  was 
long  before  us,  when  one  of  the  party  produced  an  old 
pack  of  Spanish  cards  from  his  monkey-jacket  pocket, 
which  we  hailed  as  a great  windfall ; and  keeping  a dim, 
flickering  light  by  our  fagots,  we  played  game  after  game 
till  one  or  two  o’clock,  when,  becoming  really  tired,  we 
went  to  our  logs  again,  one  sitting  up  at  a time,  in  turn,  to 
keep  watch  over  the  fire.  Toward  morning,  the  rain 
ceased,  and  the  air  became  sensibly  colder,  so  that  we  found 
sleep  impossible,  and  sat  up  watching  for  daybreak.  No 
sooner  was  it  light  than  we  went  ashore,  and  began  our 
preparations  for  loading  our  vessel.  We  were  not  mistaken 
in  the  coldness  of  the  weather,  for  a white  frost  was  on 
the  ground,  a thing  we  had  never  seen  before  in  California, 
and  one  or  two  little  puddles  of  fresh  water  were  skim- 
med over  with  a thin  coat  of  ice.  In  this  state  of  the 
weather,  and  before  sunrise,  in  the  gray  of  the  morning,  we 
had  to  wade  off,  nearly  up  to  our  hips  in  water,  to  load 
the  skiff  with  the  wood  by  arms-full.  The  third  mate  re- 
mained on  board  the  launch,  two  more  staid  in  the  skiff, 
to  load  and  manage  it,  and  all  the  water-work,  as  usual, 
fell  upon  the  two  youngest  of  us  ; and  there  we  were,  with 
frost  on  the  ground,  wading  forward  tnd  back,  from  the 
beach  to  the  boat,  with  arms-full  of  wood,  barefooted,  and 
our  trowsers  rolled  up.  When  the  skiff  went  off  with  her 
load,  we  could  only  keep  our  feet  from  freezing  by  racing 
up  and  down  the  beach  on  the  hard  sand,  as  fast  as  we 
could  go.  We  were  all  day  at  this  work,  and  toward  sun- 


2l6 


WO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


down,  having  loaded  the  vessel  as  deep  as  she  would  bear, 
we  hove  up  our  anchor,  and  made  sail,  beating  out  of  the 
bay.  No  sooner  had  we  got  into  the  large  bay,  than  we 
found  a strong  tide  setting  us  out  to  seaward,  a thick  fog 
which  prevented  our  seeing  the  ship,  and  a breeze  too  light 
to  set  us  against  the  tide  ; for  we  were  as  deep  as  a sand 
barge.  By  the  utmost  exertions,  we  saved  ourselves  from 
being  carried  out  to  sea,  and  were  glad  to  reach  the  leeward- 
most  point  of  the  island,  where  we  came-to,  and  prepared 
to  pass  another  night,  more  uncomfortable  than  the  first, 
for  we  were  loaded  up  to  the  gunwale,  and  had  only  a 
choice  among  logs  and  sticks  for  a resting-place.  The 
next  morning,  we  made  sail  at  slack  water,  with  a fair 
wind,  and  got  on  board  by  eleven  o'clock,  when  all  hands 
were  turned-to,  to  unload  and  stow  away  the  wood,  which 
took  till  night. 

Having  now  taken  in  all  our  wood,  the  next  morning  a 
water-party  was  ordered  off  with  all  the  casks.  From  this 
we  escaped,  having  had  a pretty  good  siege  with  the  wood- 
ing. The  water-party  were  gone  three  days,  during  which 
time  they  narrowly  escaped  being  carried  out  to  sea,  and 
passed  one  day  on  an  island,  where  one  of  them  shot  a 
deer,  great  numbers  of  which  overrun  the  islands  and  hills 
of  San  Francisco  Bay. 

While  not  off,  on  these  wood  and  water  parties,  or  up 
the  rivers  to  the  missions,  we  had  very  easy  times  on  board 
the  ship.  We  were  moored  stem  and  stern,  within  a 
cable's  length  of  the  shore,  safe  from  southeasters,  and 
with  very  little  boating  to  do ; and  as  it  rained  nearly  all 
the  time,  awnings  were  put  over  the  hatchways,  and  all 
hands  sent  down  between  decks,  where  we  were  at  work, 
day  after  day,  picking  oakum,  until  we  got  enough  to  caulk 
the  ship  all  over,  and  to  last  the  whole  voyage.  Then  we 
made  a whole  suit  of  gaskets  for  the  voyage  home,  a pair 
of  wheel-ropes  from  strips  of  green  hide,  great  quantities 
of  spun-yarn,  and  everything  else  that  could  be  made  be- 
tween decks.  It  being  now  mid-winter  and  in  high  latitude, 
the  nights  were  very  long,  so  that  we  were  not  turned-to 
until  se\  en  in  the  morning,  and  were  obliged  to  knock  off 
at  five  in  the  evening,  when  we  got  supper  ; which  gave  us 
nearly  three  hours  before  eight  bells,  at  which  time  the 
watch  was  set. 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


217 


As  we  had  now  been  about  a year  on  the  coast,  it  was 
time  to  think  of  the  voyage  home ; and  knowing  that  the 
la  t two  or  three  months  of  our  stay  would  be  busy  ones, 
and  that  we  should  never  have  so  good  an  opportunity  to 
work  for  ourselves  as  the  present,  we  all  employed  our 
evenings  in  making  clothes  for  the  passage  home,  and  more 
especially  for  Cape  Horn.  As  soon  as  supper  was  over 
and  the  kids  cleared  away,  and  each  one  had  taken  his 
smoke,  we  seated  ourselves  on  our  chests  round  the  lamp, 
which  swung  from  a beam,  and  each  one  went  to  work  in 
his  own  way,  some  making  hats,  others  trowsers,  others 
jackets,  etc.  etc. ; and  no  one  was  idle.  The  boys  who 
could  not  sew  well  enough  to  make  their  own  clothes,  laid 
up  grass  into  sinnet,  for  the  men,  who  sewed  for  them  in 
return.  Several  of  us  clubbed  together  and  bought  a large 
piece  of  twilled  cotton,  which  we  made  into  trowsers  and 
jackets,  and  giving  them  several  coats  of  linseed  oil,  laid 
them  by  for  Cape  Horn.  I also  sewed  and  covered  a tar- 
paulin hat,  thick  and  strong  enough  to  sit  down  upon,  and 
made  myself  a complete  suit  of  flannel  under-clothing,  for 
bad  weather.  Those  who  had  no  southwester  caps,  made 
them,  and  several  of  the  crew  made  themselves  tarpaulin 
jackets  and  trowsers,  lined  on  the  inside  with  flannel. 
Industry  was  the  order  of  the  day,  and  everyone  did  some- 
thing for  himself ; for  we  knew  that  as  the  season  ad- 
vanced, and  we  went  further  south,  we  should  have  no 
evenings  to  work  in. 

Friday , December  25 tk.  This  day  was  Christmas ; and 
as  it  rained  all  day  long,  and  there  were  no  hides  to  take 
in,  and  nothing  especial  to  do,  the  captain  gave  us  a holy- 
day,  (the  first  we  had  had  since  leaving  Boston, ) and  plum 
duff  for  dinner.  The  Russian  brig,  following  the  Old 
Style,  had  celebrated  their  Christmas  eleven  days  before  ; 
when  they  had  a grand  blow-out  and  ( as  our  men  said ) 
drank  in  the  forecastle,  a barrel  of  gin,  ate  up  a bag  of 
tallow,  and  made  a soup  of  the  skin. 

Sunday , December  zyth.  We  had  now  finished  all  our 
business  at  this  port,  and  it  being  Sunday,  we  unmoored 
ship  and  got  under  weigh,  firing  a salute  to  the  Russian 
brig,  and  another  to  the  presidio,  which  were  both  answered. 
The  commandant  of  the  presidio,  Don  Gaudaloupe  Villego, 
a young  man,  and  the  most  popular,  among  the  Americans 


2l8 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


and  English,  of  any  man  in  California,  was  on  board  when 
we  got  under  weigh.  He  spoke  English  very  well  and 
was  suspected  of  being  favorably  inclined  to  foreigners. 

We  sailed  down  this  magnificent  bay  with  a light  wind, 
the  tide,  which  was  running  out,  carrying  us  at  the  rate  of 
four  or  five  knots.  It  was  a fine  day ; the  first  of  entire 
sunshine  we  had  had  for  more  than  a month.  We  passed 
directly  under  the  high  cliff  on  which  the  presidio  is  built, 
and  stood  into  the  middle  of  the  bay,  from  whence  we  could 
see  small  bays,  making  up  into  the  interior,  on  every  side  ; 
large  and  beautifully-wooded  islands  ; and  the  mouths  of 
several  small  rivers.  If  California  ever  becomes  a pros- 
perous country,  this  bay  will  be  the  centre  of  its  prosperity. 
The  abundance  of  wood  and  water,  the  extreme  fertility  of 
its  shores,  the  excellence  of  its  climate,  which  is  as  near 
to  being  perfect  as  any  in  the  world,  and  its  facilities  for 
navigation,  affording  the  best  anchoring-grounds  in  the 
whole  western  coast  of  America,  all  fit  it  for  a place  of 
great  importance  ; and  indeed,  it  has  attracted  much  at- 
tention, for  the  settlement  of  “ Yerba  Buena,”  where  we 
lay  at  anchor,  made  chiefly  by  Americans  and  English,  and 
which  bids  fair  to  become  the  most  important  trading  place 
on  the  coast,  at  this  time  began  to  supply  traders,  Russian 
ships,  and  whalers,  with  their  stores  of  wheat  and  frijoles. 

The  tide  leaving  us,  we  came  to  anchor  near  the  mouth 
of  the  bay,  under  a high  and  beautifully  sloping  hill,  upon 
which  herds  of  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  red  deer,  and 
the  stag,  with  his  high  branching  antlers,  were  bounding 
about,  looking  at  us  for  a moment,  and  then  starting  off, 
affrighted  at  the  noises  which  we  made,  for  the  purpose  of 
seeing  the  variety  of  their  beautiful  attitudes  and  motions. 

At  midnight,  the  tide  having  turned,  we  hove  up  our 
anchor  and  stood  out  of  the  bay,  with  a fine  starry  heaven 
above  us, — the  first  we  had  seen  for  weeks  and  weeks. 
Before  the  light  northerly  winds,  which  blow  here  with  the 
regularity  of  trades,  we  worked  slowly  along,  and  made 
Point  Ano  Nuevo,  the  northerly  point  of  the  Bay  of  Mon- 
terey, on  Monday  afternoon.  We  spoke,  going  in,  the 
brig  Diana,  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  from  the  Northwest 
Coast,  last  from  Asitka.  She  was  off  the  point  at  the 
same  time  with  us,  but  did  not  get  in  to  the  anchoring- 
ground  until  an  hour  or  two  after  us.  It  was  ten  o’clock 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


219 


on  Tuesday  morning  when  we  came  to  anchor.  The  town 
looked  just  as  it  did  when  I saw  it  last,  which  was  eleven 
months  before,  in  the  brig  Pilgrim.  The  pretty  lawn  on 
which  it  stands,  as  green  as  sun  and  rain  could  make  it ; 
the  pine  wood  on  the  south  ; the  small  river  on  the  north 
side  ; the  houses,  with  their  white  plastered  sides  and  red- 
tiled  roofs,  dotted  about  on  the  green  ; the  low,  white  pre- 
sidio, with  its  soiled,  tri-colored  flag  flying,  and  the  discor- 
dant din  of  drums  and  trumpets  for  the  noon  parade  ; all 
brought  up  of  the  scene  we  had  witnessed  were  with  so 
much  pleasure  nearly  a year  before,  when  coming  from  a 
long  voyage,  and  our  unprepossessing  reception  at  Santa 
Barbara,  It  seemed  almost  like  coming  to  a home. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  only  other  vessel  in  the  port  was  a Russian  govern- 
ment bark,  from  Asitka,  mounting  eight  guns,  (four  of 
which  we  found  to  be  Quakers,  ) and  having  on  board  the 
ex-governor,  who  was  going  in  her  to  Mazatlan,  and  thence 
over  land  to  Vera  Cruz.  He  offered  to  take  letters  and 
deliver  them  to  the  American  consul  at  Vera  Cruz,  whence 
they  could  be  easily  forwarded  to  the  United  States.  We 
accordingly  made  up  a packet  of  letters,  almost  every  one 
writing,  and  dating  them  “ January  1st,  1 836.”  The 
governor  was  true  to  his  promise,  and  they  all  reached 
Boston  before  the  middle  of  March ; the  shortest  com- 
munication ever  yet  made  across  the  country. 

The  brig  Pilgrim  had  been  lying  in  Monterey  through 
the  latter  part  of  November,  according  to  orders,  waiting 
for  us.  Day  after  day,  Captain  Faucon  went  up  to  the 
hill  to  look  out  for  us,  and  at  last,  gave  us  up,  thinking  we 
must  have  gone  down  in  the  gale  which  we  experienced  off 
Point  Conception,  and  which  had  blown  with  great  fury 
over  the  whole  coast,  driving  ashore  several  vessels  in  the 
snuggest  ports.  An  English  brig,  which  had  put  into  San 
Francisco,  lost  both  her  anchors  ; the  Rosa  was  driven  up- 
on a mud  bank  in  San  Diego  ; and  the  Pilgrim,  with  great 


220 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


difficulty,  rode  out  the  gale  in  Monterey,  with  three  anchors 
a-head.  She  sailed  early  in  December  for  San  Diego  and 
intermedios . 

As  we  were  to  be  here  over  Sunday,  and  Monterey  was 
the  best  place  to  go  ashore  on  the  whole  coast,  and  we  had 
had  no  liberty  day  for  nearly  three  months,  every  one  was  foi 
going  ashore.  On  Sunday  morning  as  soon  as  the  decks 
were  washed,  and  we  had  got  breakfast,  those  who  had 
obtained  liberty  began  to  clean  themselves,  as  it  is  called, 
to  go  ashore.  A bucket  of  fresh  water  apiece,  a cake  of 
soap,  a large  coarse  towel,  and  we  went  to  work  scrubbing 
one  another,  on  the  forecastle.  Having  gone  through  this 
the  next  thing  was  to  get  into  the  head, — one  on  each  side, 
— with  a bucket  apiece,  and  duck  one  another,  by  drawing 
up  water  and  heaving  over  each  other,  while  wre  were 
stripped  to  a pair  of  trowsers.  Then  came  the  rigging-up. 
The  usual  outfit  of  pumps,  white  stockings,  loose  white 
duck  trowsers,  blue  jackets,  clean  checked  shirts,  black 
kerchiefs,  hats  well  varnished,  with  a fathom  of  black  rib- 
bon over  the  left  eye,  a silk  handkerchief  flying  from  the 
outside  jacket  pocket,  and  four  or  five  dollars  tied  up  in 
the  back  of  the  neckerchief,  and  we  were  “ all  right.”  One 
of  the  quarter-boats  pulled  us  ashore,  and  we  streamed  up 
to  the  town.  I tried  to  find  the  church,  in  order  to  see 
the  worship,  but  was  told  that  there  was  no  service,  except 
a mass  early  in  the  morning  ; so  we  went  about  the  town, 
visiting  the  Americans  and  English,  and  the  natives  whom 
we  had  known  when  we  were  here  before.  Toward  noon 
we  procured  horses,  and  rode  out  to  the  Carmel  mission, 
which  is  about  a league  from  the  town,  where  we  got  some- 
thing in  the  way  of  a dinner — beef,  eggs,  frijoles,  tortillas, 
and  some  middling  wine — from  the  mayordomo,  who,  of 
course,  refused  to  make  any  charge,  as  it  was  the  Lord’s 
gift,  yet  received  our  present,  as  a gratuity,  with  a low  bow, 
a touch  of  the  hat,  and  “ Dios  se  lo  pague  ! ” 

After  this  repast,  we  had  a fine  run,  scouring  the  whole 
country  on  our  fleet  horses,  and  came  into  town  soon  after 
sundown.  Here  we  found  our  companions  who  had 
refused  to  go  to  ride  with  us,  thinking  that  a sailor  has  no 
more  business  with  a horse  than  a fish  has  with  a balloon. 
They  were  moored,  stem  and  stern,  in  a grog-shop,  making 
a great  noise,  with  a crowd  of  Indians  and  hungry  half' 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  til 

breeds  about  them,  and  with  a fair  prospect  of  being 
stripped  and  dirked,  or  left  to  pass  the  night  in  the  cala- 
bozo.  With  a great  deal  of  trouble,  we  managed  to  get 
them  down  to  the  boats,  though  not  without  many  angry 
looks  and  interferences  from  the  Spaniards,  who  had 
marked  them  out  for  their  prey.  The  Diana’s  crew — a set 
of  worthless  outcasts,  who  had  been  picked  up  at  the 
islands  from  the  refuse  of  whale-ships, — were  all  as  drunk 
as  beasts,  and  had  a set-to,  on  the  beach,  with  their  captain, 
who  was  in  no  better  state  than  themselves.  They  swore 
they  would  not  go  aboard,  and  went  back  to  the  town, 
were  stripped  and  beaten,  and  lodged  in  the  calabozo, 
until  the  next  day,  when  the  captain  bought  them  out. 
Our  forecastle,  as  usual,  after  a liberty-day,  was  a scene  of 
tumult  all  night  long,  from  the  drunken  ones.  They  had 
just  got  to  sleep  toward  morning,  when  they  were  turned 
up  with  the  rest,  and  kept  at  work  all  day  in  the  water, 
carrying  hides,  their  heads  aching  so  that  they  could  hardly 
stand.  This  is  sailors’  pleasure. 

Nothing  worthy  of  remark  happened  while  we  were 
here,  except  a little  boxing-match  on  board  our  own  ship, 
which  gave  us  something  to  talk  about.  A broad-backed, 
big-headed  Cape  Cod  boy,  about  sixteen  years  old,  had 
been  playing  the  bully,  for  the  whole  voyage,  over  a slender, 
delicate-looking  boy,  from  one  of  the  Boston  schools,  and 
over  whom  he  had  much  the  advantage,  in  strength,  age, 
and  experience  in  the  ship’s  duty,  for  this  was  the  first 
time  the  Boston  boy  had  been  on  salt  water.  The  latter, 
however,  had  “ picked  up  his  crumbs,”  was  learning  his 
duty,  and  getting  strength  and  confidence  daily ; and 
began  to  assert  his  rights  against  his  oppressor.  Still,  the 
other  was  his  master,  and,  by  his  superior  strength,  always 
tackled  with  him  and  threw  him  down.  One  afternoon, 
before  we  were  turned-to,  these  boys  got  into  a violent 
squabble  in  the  between-decks,  when  George  (the  Boston 
boy)  said  he  would  fight  Nat,  if  he  could  have  fair  play. 
The  chief  mate  heard  the  noise,  dove  down  the  hatchway, 
hauled  them  both  up  on  deck,  and  told  them  to  shake 
hands  and  have  no  more  trouble  for  the  voyage,  or  else 
they  should  fight  till  one  gave  in  for  beaten.  Finding 
neither  willing  to  make  an  offer  of  reconciliation,  he  called 
all  hands  up,  (for  the  captain  was  ashore,  and  he  could  do 


122 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


as  he  chose  aboard,)  ranged  the  crew  in  the  waist,  marled 
a line  on  the  deck,  brought  the  two  boys  up  to  it,  making 
them  “ toe  the  mark  then  made  the  bight  of  a rope  fast  to 
a belaying  pin,  and  stretched  it  across  the  deck,  bringing  it 
just  above  their  waists.  “No  striking  below  the  rope!” 
And  there  they  stood,  one  on  each  side  of  it,  face  to  face,  and 
went  at  it  like  two  game-cocks.  The  Cape  Cod  boy,  Nat, 
put  in  his  double-fisters,  starting  the  blood,  and  bringing 
the  black  and  blue  spots  all  over  the  face  and  arms  of  the 
other,  whom  we  expected  to  see  give  in  every  moment : 
but  the  more  he  was  hurt  the  better  he  fought.  Time 
after  time  he  was  knocked  nearly  down,  but  up  he  came 
again  and  faced  the  mark,  as  bold  as  a lion,  again  to  take 
the  heavy  blows,  which  sounded  so  as  to  make  one’s  heart 
turn  with  pity  for  him.  At  length  he  came  up  to  the  mark 
the  last  time,  his  shirt  torn  from  his  body,  his  face  covered 
with  blood  and  bruises,  and  his  eyes  flashing  fire,  and 
swore  he  would  stand  there  till  one  or  the  other  was  killed, 
and  set-to  like  a young  fury.  “ Hurrah  in  the  bow  !”  said  the 
men,  cheering  him  on.  “Well  cowed  !”  “ Never  say  die, 

while  there’s  a shot  in  the  locker !”  Nat  tried  to  close 
with  him,  knowing  his  advantage,  but  the  mate  stopped 
that,  saying  there  should  be  fair  play,  and  no  fingering. 
Nat  then  came  up  to  the  mark,  but  looked  white  about  the 
mouth,  and  his  blows  were  not  given  with  half  the  spirit  of 
his  first.  He  was  evidently  cowed.  He  had  always  been 
master,  and  had  nothing  to  gain,  and  everything  to  lose  ; 
while  the  other  fought  for  honor  and  freedom,  and  under 
a sense  of  wrong.  It  would  not  do.  It  was  soon  over. 
Nat  gave  in  ; not  so  much  beaten,  as  cowed  and  mortified ; 
and  never  afterwards  tried  to  act  the  bully  on  board.  We 
took  George  forward,  washed  him  in  the  deck-tub,  compli- 
mented his  pluck,  and  from  this  time  he  became  somebody 
on  board,  having  fought  himself  into  notice.  Mr.  Brown’s 
plan  had  a good  effect,  for  there  was.  no  more  quarrelling 
among  the  boys  for  the  rest  of  the  voyage. 

Wednesday,  January  6th.  Set  sail  from  Monterey, 
with  a number  of  Spaniards  as  passengers,  and  shaped 
our  course  for  Santa  Barbara.  The  Diana  went  out  of  the 
bay  in  company  with  us,  but  parted  from  us  off  Point  Pinos, 
being  bound  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  We  had  a smack- 
breeze  for  several  hours#  and  went  along  at  a great 


TWO  YEARS'  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


223 


rate,  until  night,  when  it  died  away,  as  usual,  and  the  land- 
breeze  set  in,  which  brought  us  upon  a taught  bowline. 
Among  our  passengers  was  a young  man  who  was  the  best 
representation  of  a decayed  gentleman  I had  ever  seen. 
He  reminded  me  much  of  some  of  the  characters  in  Gil 
Bias.  He  was  of  the  aristocracy  of  the  country,  his  family 
being  of  pure  Spanish  blood,  and  once  of  great  importance 
in  Mexico.  His  father  had  been  governor  of  the  province, 
and  having  amassed  a large  property,  settled  at  San  Diego, 
where  he  built  a large  house  with  a courtyard  in  front, 
kept  a great  retinue  of  Indians,  and  set  up  for  the  grandee 
of  that  part  of  the  country.  His  son  was  sent  to  Mexico, 
where  he  received  the  best  education,  and  went  into  the 
first  society  of  the  capital.  Misfortune,  extravagance,  and 
the  want  of  funds,  or  any  manner  of  getting  interest  on 
money,  soon  eat  the  estate  up,  and  Don  Juan  Bandina 
returned  from  Mexico  accomplished,  poor,  and  proud,  and 
without  any  office  or  occupation,  to  lead  the  life  of  most 
young  men  of  the  better  families — dissolute  and  extrava- 
gant when  the  means  are  at  hand  ; ambitious  at  heart,  and 
impotent  in  act ; often  pinched  for  bread ; keeping  up  an 
appearance  of  style,  when  their  poverty  is  known  to  each 
half-naked  Indian  boy  in  the  street,  and  they  stand  in 
dread  of  every  small  trader  and  shopkeeper  in  the  place. 
He  had  a slight  and  elegant  figure,  moved  gracefully, 
danced  and  waltzed  beautifully,  spoke  the  best  of  Castilian, 
with  a pleasant  and  refined  voice  and  accent,  and  had, 
throughout,  the  bearing  of  a man  of  high  birth  and  figure. 
Yet  here  he  was,  with  his  passage  given  him,  (as  I afterwards 
learned,)  for  he  had  not  the  means  of  paying  for  it,  and 
living  upon  the  charity  of  our  agent.  He  was  polite  to 
every  one,  spoke  to  the  sailors,  and  gave  four  reals — I dare 
say  the  last  he  had  in  his  pocket — to  the  steward  who  waited 
upon  him.  I could  not  but  feel  a pity  for  him,  especially 
when  I saw  him  by  the  side  of  his  fellow-passenger  and 
townsman,  a fat,  coarse,  vulgar,  pretending  fellow  of  a 
Yankee  trader,  who  had  made  money  in  San  Diego,  and  who 
was  eating  out  the  very  vitals  of  the  Bandinis,  fattening  upon 
their  extravagance,  grinding  them  in  their  poverty ; having 
mortgages  on  their  lands,  forestalling  their  cattle,  and 
already  making  an  inroad  upon  their  jewels,  which  were 
their  last  hope. 


224 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


Don  Juan  had  with  him  a retainer,  who  was  as  much 
like  many  of  the  characters  in  Gil  Bias  as  his  master.  He 
called  himself  a private  secretary,  though  there  was  no 
writing  for  him  to  do,  and  he  lived  in  the  steerage  with  the 
carpenter  and  sailmaker.  He  was  certainly  a character; 
could  read  and  write  extremely  well ; spoke  good  Spanish ; 
had  been  all  over  Spanish  America,  and  lived  in  every  pos- 
sible situation,  and  served  in  every  conceivable  capacity, 
though  generally  in  that  of  confidential  servant  to  some 
man  of  figure.  I cultivated  this  man’s  acquaintance,  and 
during  the  five  weeks  that  he  was  with  us, — for  he  remained 
on  board  until  we  arrived  at  San  Diego, — I gained  a greater 
knowledge  of  the  state  of  political  parties  in  Mexico,  and 
the  habits  and  affairs  of  the  different  classes  of  society, 
than  I could  have  learned  from  almost  any  one  else.  He 
took  great  pains  in  correcting  my  Spanish,  and  supplying 
me  with  colloquial  phrases,  and  common  terms  and  excla: 
mations  in  speaking.  He  lent  me  a file  of  late  newspapers 
from  the  city  of  Mexico,  which  were  full  of  the  triumphal 
reception  of  Santa  Ana,  who  had  just  returned  from  Tam- 
pico after  a victory,  and  with  the  preparations  for  his  ex- 
pedition against  the  Texans.  “Viva  Santa  Ana!”  was 
the  by-word  everywhere,  and  it  had  even  reached  California, 
though  there  were  still  many  here,  among  whom  was  Don 
Juan  Bandini,  who  were  opposed  to  his  government,  and 
intriguing  to  bring  in  Bustamente.  Santa  Ana,  they  said, 
was  for  breaking  down  the  missions  ; or,  as  they  termed 
it — “ Santa  Ana  no  quiere  religion.”  Yet  I had  no  doubt 
that  the  office  of  administrador  of  San  Diego  would  recon 
cile  Don  Juan  to  any  dynasty,  and  any  state  of  the  church. 
In  these  papers,  too,  I found  scraps  of  American  and  Eng- 
lish news ; but  which  were  so  unconnected,  and  I was  so 
ignorant  of  everything  preceding  them  for  eighteen  months 
past,  that  they  could  not  satisfy.  One  article  spoke  of 
Taney  as  Justicia  Mayor  de  los  Estados  Unidos,  (what  had 
become  of  Marshall  ? was  he  dead,  or  banished  ?)  and  an- 
other made  known,  by  news  received  from  Vera  Cruz, 
that  “ El  Vizconde  Melbourne  ” had  returned  to  the  office 
of  “ primer  ministro,”  in  place  of  Sir  Roberto  Peel.  (Sir 
Robert  Peel  had  been  minster,  then  ? and  where  were  Earl 
Grey  and  the  Duke  of  Wellington  ?)  Plere  were  the  outlines 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  225 

of  a grand  parliamentary  overturn,  the  filling  up  which  I 
could  imagine  at  my  leisure. 

The  second  morning  after  leaving  Monterey,  we  were 
off  Point  Conception.  It  was  a bright,  sunny  day,  and 
the  wind,  though  strong,  was  fair;  and  everything  was  in 
striking  contrast  with  our  experience  in  the  same  place 
two  months  before,  when  we  were  drifting  off  from  a north- 
wester under  a fore  and  main  spencer.  “ Sail  ho  ! ” cried 
a man  who  was  rigging  out  a top-gallant  studding-sail 
boom. — “ Where  away  ? ” — “ Weather  beam,  sir  I ” and  in 
a few  minutes  a full-rigged  brig  was  seen  standing  out  from 
under  Point  Conception.  The  studding-sail  halyards  were 
let  go,  and  the  yards  boom-ended,  the  after  yards  braced 
aback,  and  we  waited  her  coming  down.  She  rounded  to, 
backed  her  main  top-sail,  and  showed  her  decks  full  of  men, 
four  guns  on  a side,  hammock  nettings,  and  everything 
man-of-war  fashion,  except  that  there  was  no  boatswain’s 
whistle,  and  no  uniforms  on  the  quarter-deck.  A short, 
square-built  man,  in  a rough  gray  jacket,  with  a speaking- 
trumpet  in  hand,  stood  in  the  weather  hammock  nettings. 
“ Ship  ahoy  ! ” — “ Plallo  ! ” — “ What  ship  is  that,  pray  ? ” — ■ 
“ Alert.” — “ Where  are  you  from,  pray  ? ” etc.  etc.  She 
proved  to  be  the  brig  Convoy,  from  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
engaged  in  otter  hunting,  among  the  islands  which  lie  along 
the  coast.  Her  armament  was  from  her  being  an  illegal 
trader.  The  otter  are  very  numerous  among  these  islands, 
and  being  of  great  value,  the  government  require  a heavy 
sum  for  a license  to  hunt  them,  and  lay  a high  duty  upon 
every  one  shot  or  carried  out  of  the  country.  This  vessel 
had  no  license,  and  paid  no  duty,  besides  being  engaged 
in  smuggling  goods  on  board  other  vessels  trading  on  the 
coast,  and  belonging  to  the  same  owners  in  Oahu.  Our 
captain  told  him  to  look  out  for  the  Mexicans,  but  he  said 
they  had  not  an  armed  vessel  of  his  size  in  the  whole  Pacific. 
This  was  without  doubt  the  same  vessel  that  showed  herself 
off  Santa  Barbara  a few  months  before.  These  vessels  fre- 
quently remain  on  the  coast  for  years,  without  making  port, 
except  at  the  islands  for  wood  and  water,  and  an  occa- 
sional visit  to  Oahu  for  a new  outfit. 

Sunday,  January  10 th.  Arrived  at  Santa  Barbara,  and 
on  the  following  Wednesday,  slipped  our  cable  and  went 
to  sea,,  on  account  of  a southeaster.  Returned  to  our  an- 


226 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


chorage  the  next  day.  We  were  the  only  vessel  in  the  port. 
The  Pilgrim  had  passed  through  the  Canal  and  hove-to  off 
the  town,  nearly  six  weeks  before,  on  her  passage  down 
from  Monterey,  and  was  now  at  the  leeward.  She  heard 
here  of  our  safe  arrival  at  San  Francisco. 

Great  preparations  were  making  on  shcre  for  the  mar- 
riage of  our  agent,  who  was  to  marry  Donna  Anneta  De 

G De  N y C , youngest  daughter  of 

Don  Antonio  N , the  grandee  of  the  place,  and  the 

head  of  the  first  family  in  California.  Our  steward  was 
ashore  three  days,  making  pastry  and  cake,  and  some  of 
our  stores  were  sent  off  with  him.  On  the  day  appointed 
for  the  wedding,  we  took  the  captain  ashore  in  the  gig,  and 
had  orders  to  come  for  him  at  night,  with  leave  to  go  up  to 
the  house  and  see  the  fandango.  Returning  on  board,  we 
found  preparations  making  for  a salute.  Our  guns  were 
loaded  and  run  out,  men  appointed  to  each,  cartridges  served 
out,  matches  lighted,  and  all  the  flags  ready  to  be  run  up.  I 
took  my  place  at  the  starboard  after  gun,  and  we  all  waited 
for  the  signal  from  on  shore.  At  ten  o’clock  the  bride 
went  up  with  her  sister  to  the  confessional,  dressed  in  deep 
black.  Nearly  an  hour  intervened,  when  the  great  doors 
of  the  mission  church  opened,  the  bells  rang  out  a loud, 
discordant  peal,  the  private  signal  for  us  was  run  up  by  the 
captain  ashore,  the  bride,  dressed  in  complete  white,  came 
out  of  the  church  with  the  bridegroom,  followed  by  a long 
procession.  Just  as  she  stepped  from  the  church  door,  a 
small  white  cloud  issued  from  the  bows  of  our  ship,  which 
was  full  in  sight,  the  loud  report  echoed  among  the  surround- 
ing hills  and  over  the  bay,  and  instantly  the  ship  was  dressed 
in  flags  and  pennants  from  stem  to  stern.  Twenty-three 
guns  followed  in  regular  succession,  with  an  interval  of 
fifteen  seconds  between  each,  when  the  cloud  cleared  away, 
and  the  ship  lay  dressed  in  her  colors,  all  day.  At  sundown, 
another  salute  of  the  same  number  of  guns  was  fired,  and 
all  the  flags  run  down.  This  we  thought  was  pretty  well — 
a gun  every  fifteen  seconds — for  a merchantman  with 
only  four  guns  and  a dozen  or  twenty  men. 

After  supper,  the  gig’s  crew  were  called,  and  we  rowed 
ashore,  dressed  in  our  uniform,  beached  the  boat,  and 
went  up  to  the  fandango.  The  bride’s  father’s  house  was 
the  principal  one  in  the  place,  with  a large  court  in  front, 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


227 


upon  which  a tent  was  built,  capable  of  containing  several 
hundred  people.  As  we  drew  near,  we  heard  the  accus- 
tomed sound  of  violins  and  guitars,  and  saw  a great  motion 
of  the  people  within.  Going  in,  we  found  nearly  all  the 
people  of  the  town — men,  women,  and  children — collected 
and  crowded  together,  leaving  barely  room  for  the  dancers  ; 
for  on  these  occasions  no  invitations  are  given,  but  every 
one  is  expected  to  come,  though  there  is  always  a private 
entertainment  within  the  house  for  particular  friends.  The 
old  women  sat  down  in  rows,  clapping  their  hands  to  the 
music,  and  applauding  the  young  ones.  The  music  was 
lively,  and  among  the  tunes,  we  recognized  several  of  our 
popular  airs,  which  we,  without  doubt,  have  taken  from  the 
Spanish.  In  the  dancing,  I was  much  disappointed.  The 
women  stood  upright,  with  their  hands  down  by  their 
sides,  their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  ground  before  them,  and 
slided  about  without  any  perceptible  means  of  motion  ; 
for  their  feet  were  invisible,  the  hem  of  their  dresses 
forming  a perfect  circle  about  them,  reaching  to  the  ground. 
They  looked  as  grave  as  though  they  were  going  through 
some  religious  ceremony,  their  faces  as  little  excited  as 
their  limbs  ; and  on  the  whole,  instead  of  the  spirited, 
fascinating  Spanish  dances  which  I had  expected,  I found 
the  Californian  fandango,  on  the  part  of  the  women  at 
least,  a lifeless  affair.  The  men  did  better.  They  danced 
with  grace  and  spirit,  moving  in  circles  round  their  nearly 
stationary  partners,  and  showing  their  figures  to  great 
advantage. 

A great  deal  was  said  about  our  friend  Don  Juan 
Bandini,  and  when  he  did  appear,  which  was  toward  the 
close  of  the  evening,  he  certainly  gave  us  the  most  grace- 
ful dancing  that  I had  ever  seen.  He  was  dressed  in 
white  pantaloons,  neatly  made,  a short  jacket  of  dark 
silk,  gaily  figured  white  stockings  and  thin  morocco  slip- 
pers upon  his  very  small  feet.  His  slight  and  graceful 
figure  was  well  calculated  for  dancing,  and  he  moved  about 
with  the  grace  and  daintiness  of  a young  fawn.  An  oc- 
casional touch  of  the  toe  to  the  ground,  seemed  all  that 
was  necessary  to  give  him  a long  interval  of  motion  in 
the  air.  At  the  same  time  he  was  not  fantastic  or  flourish- 
ing, but  appeared  to  be  rather  repressing  a strong  tend- 
ency to  motion.  He  was  loudly  applauded,  and  danced 


2 2S 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


frequently  toward  the  close  of  the  evening.  After  the  sup- 
per, the  waltzing  began,  which  was  confined  to  a very  few 
of  the  “ gente  de  razon,  ” and  was  considered  a high  ac- 
complishment, and  a mark  of  aristocracy.  Here,  too,  Don 
Juan  figured  greatly,  waltzing  with  the  sister  of  the  bride. 
(Donna  Angustia,  a handsome  woman  and  a general,  favo- 
rite) in  a variety  of  beautiful,  but,  to  me,  offensive  figures, 
which  lasted  as  much  as  half  an  hour,  no  one  else  taking 
the  floor.  They  were  repeatedly  and  loudly  applauded,  the 
old  men  and  women  jumping  out  of  their  seats  in  admira- 
tion, and  the  young  people  waving  their  hats  and  hand- 
kerchiefs. Indeed,  among  people  of  the  character  of  those 
Mexicans,  the  waltz  seemed  to  me  to  have  found  its  right 
place.  The  great  amusement  of  the  evening, — which  I 
suppose  was  owing  to  its  being  carnival — was  the  breaking 
of  eggs  filled  with  cologne,  or  other  essences,  upon  the 
heads  of  the  company.  One  end  of  the  egg  is  broken  and 
the  inside  taken  out,  then  it  is  partly  filled  with  cologne, 
and  the  whole  sealed  up.  The  women  bring  a great  num- 
ber of  these  secretly  about  them,  and  the  amusement  is  to 
break  one  upon  the  head  of  a gentleman  when  his  back  is 
turned.  He  is  bound  in  gallantry  to  find  out  the  lady  and 
return  the  compliment,  though  it  must  not  be  done  if  the 
person  sees  you.  A tall,  stately  Don,  with  immense  gray 
whiskers,  and  a look  of  great  importance,  was  standing 
before  me,  when  I felt  a light  hand  on  my  shoulder,  and 
turning  around,  saw  Donna  Angustia,  (whom  all  knew,  as 
she  had  been  up  to  Monterey,  and  down  again,  in  the 
Alert),  with  her  finger  upon  her  lip,  motioning  me  gently 
aside.  I stepped  btick  a little,  when  she  went  up  behind 
the  Don,  and  with  one  hand  knocked  off  his  huge  sombrero , 
and  at  the  same  instant  with  the  other,  broke  the  egg  upon 
his  head,  and  springing  behind  me,  was  out  of  sight  in  a 
moment.  The  Don  turned  slowly  round,  the  cologne  run- 
ning down  his  face,  and  over  his  clothes,  and  a loud  laugh 
breaking  out  from  every  quarter.  He  looked  round  in 
vain,  for  some  time,  until  the  direction  of  so  many  laugh- 
ing eyes  showed  him  the  fair  offender.  She  was  his  niece, 
and  a great  favorite  with  him,  so  old  Don  Domingo  had 
to  join  in  the  laugh.  A great  many  such  tricks  were  play- 
ed, and  many  a war  of  sharp  manceuvering  was  carried  on 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


229 

between  couples  of  the  younger  people,  and  at  every  suc- 
cessful exploit  a general  laugh  was  raised. 

Another  singular  custom  I was  for  some  time  at  a loss 
about.  A pretty  young  girl  was  dancing,  named,  after 
what  would  appear  to  us  the  sacrilegious  custom  of  the 
country — Espiritu  Santo,  when  a young  man  went  behind 
her  and  placed  his  hat  directly  upon  her  head,  letting  it 
fall  down  over  her  eyes,  and  sprang  back  among  the  crowd. 
She  danced  for  some  time  with  the  hat  on,  when  she  threw 
it  off,  which  called  forth  a general  shout ; and  the  young 
man  was  obliged  to  go  out  upon  the  floor  and  pick  it  up. 
Some  of  the  ladies,  upon  whose  heads  hats  had  been 
placed,  threw  them  off  at  once,  and  a few  kept  them  on 
throughout  the  dance,  and  took  them  off  at  the  end,  and 
held  them  out  in  their  hands,  when  the  owner  stepped  out, 
bowed,  and  took  it  from  them.  I soon  began  to  suspect 
the  meaning  of  the  thing,  and  was  afterwards  told  that  it 
was  a compliment,  and  an  offer  to  become  the  lady’s  gal- 
lant for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  and  to  wait  upon  her  home. 
If  the  hat  was  thrown  off,  the  offer  was  refused,  and  the 
gentleman  was  obliged  to  pick  up  his  hat  amid  a general 
laugh.  Much  amusement  was  caused  some  times  by  gen- 
tlemen putting  hats  on  the  ladies’  heads,  without  permitting 
them  to  see  whom  it  was  done  by.  This  obliged  them  to 
throw  them  off,  or  keep  them  on  at  a venture,  and  when 
they  came  to  discover  the  owner  the  laugh  was  often  turned 
upon  them. 

The  captain  sent  for  us  about  ten  o’clock,  and  we  went 
aboard  in  high  spirits,  having  enjoyed  the  new  scene  much, 
and  were  of  great  importance  among  the  crew,  from  having 
so  much  to  tell,  and  from  the  prospect  of  going  every  night 
until  it  was  over ; for  these  fandangos  generally  last  three 
days.  The  next  day,  two  of  us  were  sent  up  to  the  town, 
and  took  care  to  come  back  by  way  of  Capitan  Noriego’s, 
and  take  a look  into  the  booth.  The  musicians  were  still 
there,  upon  their  platform,  scraping  and  twanging  away, 
and  a few  people,  apparently  of  the  lower  classes,  were 
dancing.  The  dancing  is  kept  up,  at  intervals,  through- 
out the  day,  but  the  crowd,  the  spirit,  and  the  elite,  come  in 
at  night.  The  next  night,  which  was  the  last,  we  went 
ashore  in  the  same  manner,  until  we  got  almost  tired  of  the 
monotonous  twang  of  the  instruments,  the  drawling  sound?? 


230 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


which  the  women  kept  up,  as  an  accompaniment,  and  the 
slapping  of  the  hands  in  time  with  the  music,  in  place  oi 
castanets.  We  found  ourselves  as  great  objects  of  attem 
tion  as  any  persons  or  anything  at  the  place.  Our  sailor 
dresses — and  we  took  great  pains  to  have  them  neat  and 
ship-shape — were  much  admired,  and  we  were  invited,  from 
every  quarter,  to  give  them  an  American  sailor’s  dance  ; 
but  after  the  ridiculous  figure  some  of  our  countrymen  cut, 
in  dancing  after  the  Spaniards,  we  thought  it  best  to  leave 
it  to  their  imaginations.  Our  agent,  with  a tight,  black, 
swallow-tailed  coat,  just  imported  from  Boston,  a high  stiff 
cravat,  looking  as  if  he  had  been  pinned  and  skewered,  with 
only  his  feet  and  hands  left  free,  took  the  floor  just  after 
Bandini ; and  we  thought  they  had  had  enough  of  Yankee 
grace. 

The  last  night  they  kept  it  up  in  great  style,  and 
were  getting  into  a high-go  when  the  captain  called  us  off 
to  go  aboard,  for,  it  being  southeaster  season,  he  was  afraid 
to  remain  on  shore  long  ; and  it  was  well  he  did  not,  for 
that  very  night,  we  slipped  our  cables,  as  a crowner  to  our 
fun  ashore,  and  stood  off  before  a southeaster,  which 
lasted  twelve  hours,  and  returned  to  our  anchorage  the 
next  day. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Monday,  Feb.  ist.  After  having  been  in  port  twenty- 
one  days,  we  sailed  for  San  Pedro,  where  we  arrived  on 
the  following  day,  having  gone  “ all  flunking,”  with  the 
weather  clue  of  the  main-sail  hauled  up,  the  yards  braced 
in  a little,  and  the  lower  studding-sail  just  drawing  ; the 
wind  hardly  shifting  a point  during  the  passage.  Here 
we  found  the  Ayacucho  and  the  Pilgrim,  which  last  we 
had  not  seen  since  the  nth  of  September, — nearly  five 
months  ; and  I really  felt  something  like  an  affection  for 
the  old  brig  which  had  been  my  first  home,  and  in  which 
I had  spent  nearly  a year,  and  got  the  first  rough  and  tum- 
ble of  a sea-life.  She,  too,  was  associated  in  my  mind  with 
Boston,  the  wharf  from  which  we  sailed,  anchorage  in  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*3* 

stream,  leave-taking,  and  all  such  matters,  which  were  now 
to  me  like  small  links  connecting  me  with  another  world, 
which  I had  once  been  in  and  which,  please  God,  I might 
yet  see  again.  I went  on  board  the  first  night,  after  sup- 
per ; found  the  old  cook  in  the  galley,  playing  upon  a fife 
which  I had  given  him,  as  a parting  present ; had  a hearty 
shake  of  the  hand  from  him  , and  dove  down  into  the  fore- 
castle, where  were  my  old  shipmates,  the  same  as  ever,  glad 
to  see  me  ; for  they  had  nearly  given  us  up  for  lost,  especi- 
ally when  they  did  not  find  us  in  Santa  Barbara.  They 
had  been  at  San  Diego  last,  had  been  lying  at  San  Pedro 
nearly  a month,  and  had  received  three  thousand  hides 
from  the  pueblo.  These  were  taken  from  her  the  next  day, 
which  filled  us  up,  and  we  both  got  under  weigh  on  the  4th, 
she  bound  up  to  San  Francisco  again,  and  we  to  San  Diego, 
where  we  arrived  on  the  6th. 

We  were  always  glad  to  see  San  Diego ; it  being  the 
depot,  and  a snug  little  place,  and  seeming  quite  like  home, 
especially  to  me,  who  had  spent  a summer  there.  There 
was  no  vessel  in  port,  the  Rosa  having  sailed  for  Valparaiso 
and  Cadiz,  and  the  Catalina  for  Callao,  nearly  a month 
before.  We  discharged  our  hides,  and  in  four  days  were 
ready  to  sail  again  for  the  windward  ; and,  to  our  great 
joy — -for  the  last  time  I Over  thirty  thousand  hides  had 
been  already  collected,  cured,  and  stowed  away  in  the 
house,  together  with  what  we  should  collect,  and  the  Pil- 
grim would  bring  down  from  San  Francisco,  would  make 
out  our  cargo.  The  thought  that  we  were  actually  going 
up  for  the  last  time,  and  that  the  next  time  we  went  round 
San  Diego  point  it  would  be  “ homeward  bound,  ” brought 
things  so  near  a close,  that  we  felt  as  though  we  were  just 
there,  though  it  must  still  be  the  greater  part  of  a year 
before  we  could  see  Boston. 

I spent  one  evening,  as  had  been  my  custom,  at  the 
oven  with  the  Sandwich  Islanders  ; but  it  was  far  from 
being  the  usual  noisy,  laughing  time.  It  has  been  said, 
that  the  greatest  curse  to  each  of  the  South  Sea  islands, 
was  the  first  man  who  discovered  it,  and  every  one  who 
knows  anything  of  the  history  of  our  commerce  in  those 
parts,  knows  how  much  truth  there  is  in  this  ; and  that  the 
white  men,  with  their  vices,  have  brought  in  diseases  be- 
fore unknown  to  the  islanders,  and  which  are  now  sweep- 


*32 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


ing  off  the  native  population  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  at 
the  rate  of  one  fortieth  of  the  entire  population  annually. 
They  seem  to  be  a doomed  people.  The  curse  of  a people 
calling  themselves  Christian,  seems  to  follow  them  every- 
where ; and  even  here,  in  this  obscure  place,  lay  two  young 
islanders,  whom  I had  left  strong,  active  young  men,  in 
the  vigor  of  health,  wasting  away  under  a disease,  which 
they  would  never  have  known  but  for  their  intercourse  with 
christianized  Mexico  and  people  'from  Christian  America. 
One  of  them  was  not  so  ill  ; and  was  moving  about,  smok- 
ing his  pipe,  and  talking,  and  trying  to  keep  up  his  spirits  ; 
but  the  other,  who  was  my  friend,  and  Aikane — Hope, 
was  the  most  dreadful  object  I had  ever  seen  in  my  life  : 
his  eyes  sunken  and  dead,  his  cheeks  fallen  in  against 
his  teeth,  his  hands  looking  like  claws  ; a dreadful  cough, 
which  seemed  to  rack  his  whole  shattered  system,  a hollow, 
whispering  voice,  and  an  entire  inability  to  move  himself. 
There  he  lay,  upon  a mat,  on  the  ground,  which  was  the 
only  floor  of  the  oven,  with  no  medicine,  no  comforts,  and 
no  one  to  care  for,  or  help  him,  but  a few  Kanakas,  who 
were  willing  enough,  but  could  do  nothing.  The  sight  of 
him  made  me  sick  and  faint.  Poor  fellow  ! During  the 
four  months  that  I lived  upon  the  beach,  we  were  continually 
together,  both  in  work,  and  in  our  excursions  in  the  woods, 
and  upon  the  water.  I really  felt  a strong  affection  for 
him,  and  preferred  him  to  any  of  my  own  countrymen  there  ; 
and  I believe  there  was  nothing  which  he  would  not  have 
done  for  me.  When  I came  into  the  oven  he  looked  at 
me,  held  out  his  hand,  and  said,  in  a low  voice,  but  with  a 
delightful  smile,  “ Aloha  Aikane!  Aloha  nui ! ” I com- 
forted him  as  well  as  I could,  and  promised  to  ask  the  cap- 
tion to  help  him  from  the  medicine-chest,  and  told  him  I 
had  no  doubt  the  captain  would  do  what  he  could  for  him, 
as  he  had  worked  in  our  employ  for  several  years,  both  on 
shore  and  aboard  our  vessels  on  the  coast.  I went  aboard 
and  turned  into  my  hammock,  but  I could  not  sleep. 

Thinking,  from  my  education,  that  I must  have  some 
knowledge  of  medicine,  the  Kanakas  had  insisted  upon 
my  examining  him  carefully  ; and  it  was  not  a sight  to  be 
forgotten.  One  of  our  crew,  an  old  man-of-war’s  man,  of 
twenty  years’  who  had  seen  sin  and  suffering  in  every 
shape,  and  whom  I afterwards  took  to  see  Hope,  said  it 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


233 


was  dreadfully  worse  than  anything  he  had  ever  seen,  or 
even  dreamed  of.  He  was  horror-struck,  as  his  counte- 
nance showed ; yet  he  had  been  among  the  worst  cases  in 
our  naval  hospitals.  I could  not  get  the  thought  of  the 
poor  fellow  out  of  my  head  all  night ; his  horrible  suffer- 
ing, and  his  apparently  inevitable,  horrible  end. 

The  next  day  I told  the  captain  of  Hope’s  state,  and 
asked  him  if  he  would  be  so  kind  as  to  go  and  see  him. 

“ What  ? a d — d Kanaka  ? ” 

“ Yes,  sir,”  said  I ; “ but  he  has  worked  four  years  for 
our  vessels,  and  has  been  in  the  employ  of  our  owners, 
both  on  shore  and  aboard.” 

“ Oh  ! he  be  d — d ! ” said  the  captain,  and  walked  off. 

This  same  man  died  afterwards  of  a fever  on  the 
deadly  coast  of  Sumatra  ; and  God  grant  he  had  better 
care  taken  of  him  in  his  sufferings,  than  he  ever  gave  to 
any  one  else  ! Finding  nothing  was  to  be  got  from  the 
captain,  I consulted  an  old  shipmate,  who  had  much  expe- 
rience in  these  matters,  and  got  from  him  a recipe,  which  he 
always  kept  by  him.  With  this  I went  to  the  mate,  and 
told  him  the  case.  Mr.  Brown  had  been  entrusted  with 
the  general  care  of  the  medicine-chest,  and  although  a 
driving  fellow,  and  a taught  hand  in  a watch,  he  had  good 
feelings,  and  was  always  inclined  to  be  kind  to  the  sick. 
He  said  that  Hope  was  not  strictly  one  of  the  crew,  but  as 
he  was  in  our  employ  when  taken  sick,  he  should  have  the 
medicines  ; and  he  got  them  and  gave  them  to  me,  with 
leave  to  go  ashore  at  night.  Nothing  could  exceed  the 
delight  of  the  Kanakas,  when  I came  bringing  the  medi- 
cines. All  their  terms  of  affection  and  gratitude  were 
spent  upon  me,  and  in  a sense  wasted  (for  I could  not 
understand  half  of  them),  yet  they  made  all  known  by 
their  manner.  Poor  Hope  was  so  much  revived  at  the 
bare  thought  of  anything’s  being  done  for  him,  that  he  was 
already  stronger  and  better.  I knew  he  must  die  as  he 
was,  and  he  could  but  die  under  the  medicines,  and  any 
chance  was  worth  running.  An  oven,  exposed  to  every 
wind  and  change  of  weather,  is  no  place  to  take  calomel ; 
but  nothing  else  would  do,  and  strong  remedies  must  be 
used,  or  he  was  gone.  The  applications,  internal  and  ex- 
ternal, were  powerful,  and  I gave  him  strict  directions  to 
keep  warm  and  sheltered,  telling  him  it  was  his  only 


234 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


chance  for  life.  Twice,  after  this,  I visited  him,  having 
only  time  to  run  up,  while  waiting  in  the  boat.  He  prom- 
ised to  take  his  medicines  regularly  until  we  returned,  and 
insisted  upon  it  that  he  was  doing  better. 

We  got  under  weigh  on  the  ioth,  bound  up  to  San 
Pedro,  and  had  three  days  of  calm  and  head  winds,  making 
but  little  progress.  On  the  fourth,  we  took  a stiff  south' 
easter,  which  obliged  us  to  reef  our  top-sails.  While  on 
the  yard,  we  saw  a sail  on  the  weather  bow,  and  in  about 
half  an  hour,  passed  the  Ayacucho,  under  double-reefed  top 
sails,  beating  down  to  San  Diego.  Arrived  at  San  Pedro 
on  the  fourth  day,  and  came-to  in  the  old  place,  a league 
trom  shore,  with  no  other  vessel  in  port,  and  the  prospecl 
of  three  weeks,  or  more,  of  dull  life,  rolling  goods  up  a 
slippery  hill,  carrying  hides  on  our  heads  over  sharp  stones, 
and,  perhaps,  slipping  for  a southeaster. 

There  was  but  one  man  in  the  only  house  here,  and  him 
I shall  always  remember  as  a good  specimen  of  a California 
ranger.  He  had  been  a tailor  in  Philadelphia,  and  getting 
intemperate  and  in  debt,  he  joined  a trapping  party  and 
went  to  the  Columbia  river,  and  thence  down  to  Monterey, 
where  he  spent  everything,  left  his  party,  and  came  to  the 
Pueblo  de  los  Angelos,  -to  work  at  his  trade.  Here  he 
went  dead  to  leeward  among  the  pulperias,  gambling  rooms, 
etc.,  and  came  down  to  San  Pedro,  to  be  moral  by  being 
out  of  temptation.  He  had  been  in  the  house  several 
weeks,  working  hard  at  his  trade,  upon  orders  which  he 
had  brought  with  him,  and  talked  much  of  his  resolution, 
and  opened  his  heart  to  us  about  his  past  life.  After  we 
had  been  here  some  time,  he  started  off  one  morning,  in 
fine  spirits,  well  dressed,  to  carry  the  clothes  which  he  had 
been  making  to  the  pueblo,  and  saying  he  would  bring  back 
his  money  and  some  fresh  orders  the  next  day.  The  next 
day  came,  and  a week  passed,  and  nearly  a fortnight,  when, 
one  day,  going  ashore,  we  saw  a tall  man,  who  looked  like 
our  friend  the  tailor,  getting  out  of  the  back  of  an  Indian’s 
cart,  which  had  just  came  down  from  the  pueblo.  He 
stood  for  the  house,  but  we  bore  up  after  him  ; when,  find- 
ing that  we  were  overhauling  him,  he  hove-to  and  spoke 
us.  Such  a sight  I never  saw  before.  Barefooted,  with 
an  old  pair  of  trowsers  tied  round  his  waist  by  a piece  of 
green  hide,  a soiled  cotton  shirt,  and  a torn  Indian  hat; 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


235 


“ cleaned  out,”  to  the  las!  real,  and  completely  “used  up.” 
He  confessed  the  whole  matter  ; acknowledged  that  he  was 
on  his  back  ; and  now  ha  had  a prospect  of  a fit  of  the 
horrors  for  a week,  and  of  being  worse  than  useless  for 
months.  This  is  a specime  n of  the  life  of  half  of  the  Amer- 
icans and  English  who  are  adrift  over  the  whole  of  Cali- 
fornia. One  of  the  same  stamp  was  Russell,  who  was 
master  of  the  hide-house  at  San  Diego,  while  I was  there, 
and  afterwards  turned  away  for  his  misconduct.  He  spent 
his  own  money  and  nearly  all  the  stores  among  the  half- 
bloods  upon  the  beach,  and  being  turned  away,  went  up  to 
the  presidio,  where  he  lived  the  life  of  a desperate  “ loafer,” 
until  some  rascally  deed  sent  him  off  “between  two  days,” 
with  men  on  horseback,  dogs,  and  Indians  in  full  cry 
after  him,  among  the  hills.  One  night,  he  burst  into  our 
room  at  the  hide-house,  breathless,  pale  as  a ghost,  cov- 
ered with  mud,  and  torn  by  thorns  and  briers,  nearly 
naked,  and  begged  for  a crust  of  bread,  saying  he  had 
neither  eaten  nor  slept  for  throe  days.  Here  was  the  great 
Mr . Russell,  who  a month  before  was  “Don  Tomas,” 
“ Captain  de  la  playa,”  “ Madstro  de  la  casa,”  etc.  etc., 
begging  food  and  shelter  of  Kanakas  and  sailors.  He 
staid  with  us  till  he  gave  himself  up,  and  was  dragged  off 
to  the  calabozo. 

Another,  and  a more  amusing;  specimen,  was  one  whom 
we  saw  at  San  Francisco.  He  had  been  a lad  on  board 
the  ship  California,  in  one  of  her  first  voyages,  and  ran  away 
and  commenced  Rarichero,  gambling,  stealing  horses,  etc. 
He  worked  along  up  to  San  Francisco,  and  was  living  on 
a rancho  near  there,  while  we  were  in  port.  One  morning, 
when  we  went  ashore  in  the  boat , we  found  him  at  the 
landing-place,  dressed  in  California  style, — a wide  hat, 
faded  velveteen  trowsers,  and  a blanket  cloak  thrown  over 
his  shoulders — and  wishing  to  go  off  in  the  boat,  saying 
he  was  going  to  pasear  with  our  captain  a little.  We  had 
many  doubts  of  the  reception  he  would  meet  with  ; but  he 
seemed  to  think  himself  company  for  any  one.  We  took 
him  aboard,  landed  him  at  the  gang  vay,  and  went  about 
our  work,  keeping  an  eye  upon  the  qu?  rter-deck,  where  the 
captain  was  walking.  The  lad  went  t p to  him  with  the 
most  complete  assurance,  and  raising  1 is  hat,  wished  him 
a good  afternoon.  Capt.  T turne  \ round,  looked  at 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


236 

him  from  head  to  foot,  and  saying  coolly,  “ Hallo  ! who  the 

h are  you  ? ” kept  on  his  walk.  This  was  a rebuff  not 

to  be  mistaken,  and  the  joke  passed  about  among  the  crew 
by  winks  and  signs,  at  different  parts  of  the  ship.  Finding 
himself  disappointed  at  headquarters,  he  edged  along  for- 
ward to  the  mate,  who  was  overseeing  some  work  upon  the 
forecastle,  and  tried  to  begin  a yarn;  but  it  would  not  do. 
The  mate  had  seen  the  reception  he  had  met  with  aft,  and 
would  have  no  cast-off  company.  The  second  mate  was  aloft, 
and  the  third  mate  and  myself  were  painting  the  quarter- 
boat,  which  hung  by  the  davits,  so  he  betook  himself  to  us  ; 
but  we  looked  at  one  another,  and  the  officer  was  too  busy 
to  say  a word.  From  us,  he  went  to  one  and  another  of 
the  crew,  but  the  joke  had  got  before  him,  and  he  found 
everybody  busy  and  silent.  Looking  over  the  rail  a few 
moments  afterward,  we  saw  him  at  the  galley-door,  talking 
with  the  cook.  This  was  a great  come-down,  from  the  high- 
est seat  in  the  synagogue  to  a seat  in  the  galley  with  the 
black  cook.  At  night,  too  when  supper  was  called,  he 
stood  in  the  waist  for  some  time,  hoping  to  be  asked  down 
with  the  officers,  but  they  went  below,  one  after  another, 
and  left  him.  His  next  chance  was  with  the  carpenter  and 
sail  maker,  and  he  lounged  round  the  after  hatchway  until 
the  last  had  gone  down.  We  had  now  had  fun  enough  out 
of  him,  and  taking  pity  on  him,  offered  him  a pot  of  tea, 
and  a cut  at  the  kid,  with  the  rest,  in  the  forecastle.  He 
was  hungry,  and  it  was  growing  dark,  and  he  began  to  see 
that  there  was  no  use  in  playing  the  Caballero  any  longer, 
and  came  down  into  the  forecastle,  put  into  the  “ grub  ” in 
sailor’s  style,  threw  off  all  his  airs,  and  enjoyed  the  joke  as 
much  as  any  one  ; for  a man  must  take  a joke  among  sailors. 
He  gave  us  the  whole  account  of  his  adventures  in  the 
country, — roguery  and  all — and  was  very  entertaining.  He 
was  a smart,  unprincipled  fellow,  was  at  the  bottom  of  most 
of  the  rascally  doings  of  the  country,  and  gave  us  a great 
deal  of  interesting  information  in  the  ways  of  the  world  we 
were  in. 

Saturday . Feb . 13th.  Were  called  up  at  midnight  to 
slip  for  a violent  northeaster,  for  this  rascally  hole  of  San 
Pedro  is  unsafe  in  every  wind  but  a southwester,  which  is 
seldom  known  to  blow  more  than  once  in  half  a century. 
We  went  off  with  a flowing  sheet,  and  hove-to  under  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*3? 

lee  of  Catalina  island,  where  we  lay  three  days,  and  then 
returned  to  our  anchorage. 

Tuesday,  Feb.  2$d.  This  afternoon,  a signal  was  made 
from  the  shore,  and  we  went  off  in  the  gig,  and  found  the 
agent’s  clerk,  who  had  been  up  to  the  pueblo,  waiting  at 
die  landing  place,  with  a package  under  his  arm,  covered 
with  brown  paper  and  tied  carefully  with  twine.  No  sooner 
had  we  shoved  off  than  he  told  us  there  was  good  news 
from  Santa  Barbara.  “ What’s  that  ? ” said  one  of  the 
crew  ; “ has  the  bloody  agent  slipped  off  the  hooks  ? Has 
the  old  bundle  of  bones  got  him  at  last  ? ” — “ No  ; better 
than  that.  The  California  has  arrived.  Letters,  papers, 
news,  and,  perhaps — friends,  on  board  ! Our  hearts  were 
all  up  in  our  mouths,  and  we  pulled  away  like  good  fel- 
lows ; for  the  precious  packet  could  not  be  opened  except 
by  the  captain.  As  we  pulled  under  the  stern,  the  clerk 
held  up  the  package,  and  called  out  to  the  mate,  who  was 
leaning  over  the  taffrail,  that  the  California  had  arrived. 

“ Hurrah  ! ” said  the  mate,  so  as  to  be  heard  fore  and 
aft ; “ California  come,  and  news  from  Boston  ? ” 

Instantly  there  was  a confusion  on  board  which  no  one 
could  account  for  who  has  not  been  in  the  same  situation. 
All  discipline  seemed  for  a moment  relaxed. 

“ What’s  that,  Mr.  Brown  ? ” said  the  cook,  putting  his 
head  out  of  the  galley — “ California  come  ? ” 

“ Aye,  aye  ! you  angel  of  darkness,  and  there’s  a letter 
for  you  from  Bullknop  ’treet,  number  two-two-five — green 
door  and  brass  knocker  ! ” 

The  packet  was  sent  down  into  the  cabin,  and  every 
one  waited  to  hear  of  the  result.  As  nothing  came  up,  the 
officers  began  to  feel  that  they  were  acting  rather  a child’s 
part,  and  turned  the  crew  to  again ; and  the  same  strict 
discipline  was  restored,  which  prohibits  speech  between 
man  and  man,  while  at  work  on  deck  ; so  that,  when  the 
steward  came  forward  with  letters  for  the  crew,  each  man 
took  his  letters,  carried  them  below  to  his  chest,  and  came 
up  again  immediately ; and  not  a letter  was  read  until  we 
had  cleared  up  decks  for  the  night. 

An  overstrained  sense  of  manliness  is  the  characteris- 
tic of  seafaring  men,  or,  rather,  of  life  on  board  ship.  This 
often  gives  an  appearance  of  want  of  feeling,  and  even  of 
cruelty.  From  this,  if  a man  comes  within  an  ace  of  break' 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


238 

ing  his  neck  and  escapes,  it  is  made  a joke  of ; and  no 
notice  must  be  taken  of  a bruise  or  a cut ; and  any  expres- 
sion of  pity,  or  any  show  of  attention,  would  look  sisterly, 
and  unbecoming  a man  who  has  to  face  the  rough  and 
tumble  of  such  a life.  From  this,  too,  the  sick  are  neg- 
lected at  sea,  and  whatever  sailors  may  be  ashore,  a sick 
man  finds  little  sympathy  or  attention,  forward  or  aft.  A 
man,  too,  can  have  nothing  peculiar  or  sacred  on  board 
ship  ; for  all  the  nicer  feelings  they  take  pride  in  disre- 
garding, both  in  themselves  and  others.  A thin-skinned 
man  could  not  live  an  hour  on  shipboard.  One  would  be 
torn  raw  unless  he  had  the  hide  of  an  ox.  A moment  of 
natural  feeling  for  home  and  friends,  and  then  the  frigid 
routine  of  sea  life  returned.  Jokes  were  made  upon  those 
who  showed  any  interest  in  the  expected  news,  and  every- 
thing near  and  dear  was  made  common  stock  for  rude 
jokes  and  unfeeling  coarseness,  to  which  no  exception 
could  be  taken  by  any  one. 

Supper,  too,  must  be  eaten  before  the  letters  were 
read  ; and  when,  at  last,  they  were  brought  out,  they  all 
got  round  any  one  who  had  a letter,  and  expected  to  have 
it  read  aloud,  and  have  it  all  in  common.  If  anyone  went 
by  himself  to  read,  it  was — Fair  play,  there  ; and  no 
skulking !”  I took  mine  and  went  into  the  sailmaker’s 
berth,  where  I could  read  it  without  interruption.  It  was 
dated  August,  just  a year  from  the  time  I had  sailed  from 
home  ; and  every  one  was  well,  and  no  great  change  had 
taken  place.  Thus,  for  one  year  my  mind  was  set  at  ease, 
yet  it  was  already  six  months  from  the  date  of  the  letter, 
and  what  another  year  would  bring  to  pass,  who  could  tell  ? 
Every  one  away  from  home  thinks  that  some  great  thing 
must  have  happened,  while  to  those  at  home  there  seems 
to  be  a continued  monotony  and  lack  of  incident. 

As  much  as  my  feelings  were  taken  up  by  my  own  in- 
telligence from  home,  I could  not  but  be  amused  by  a 
scene  in  the  steerage.  The  carpenter  had  been  married 
just  before  leaving  Boston,  and  during  the  voyage  had 
talked  much  about  his  wife,  and  had  to  bear  and  forbear, 
as  every  man,  known  to  be  married,  must,  aboard  ship ; 
yet  the  certainty  of  hearing  from  his  wife  by  the  first  ship, 
seemed  to  keep  up  his  spirits.  The  California  came  ; the 
packet  was  brought  on  board  ; no  one  was  in  higher  spirits 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


239 


then  he ; but  when  the  letters  came  forward,  there  was  none 
for  him.  The  captain  looked  again,  but  there  was  no  mis- 
take. Poor  “ Chips  ” could  eat  no  supper.  He  was  com- 
pletely down  in  the  mouth.  “ Sails  ” (the  sailmaker)  tried 
to  comfort  him,  and  told  him  he  was  a bloody  fool  to  give 
up  his  grub  for  any  woman’s  daughter,  and  reminded  him 
that  he  had  told  him  a dozen  times  that  he’d  never  see  or 
hear  from  his  wife  again. 

“ Ah  ! ” said  Chips,  “ you  don’t  know  what  it  is  to  have 
a wife,  and” — 

“ Don’t  I ? ” said  Sails  ; and  then  came,  for  the  hun- 
dredth time,  the  story  of  his  coming  ashore  at  New  York, 
from  the  Constellation  frigate,  after  a cruise  of  four  years 
round  the  Horn, — being  paid  off  with  over  five  hundred 
dollars, — marrying,  and  taking  a couple  of  rooms  in  a four 
story  house, — furnishing  the  rooms,  (with  a particular  ac- 
count of  the  furniture,  including  a dozen  flag-bottomed 
chairs,  which  he  always  dilated  upon,  whenever  the  subject 
of  furniture  was  alluded  to), — going  off  to  sea  again,  leaving 
his  wife  half  pay,  like  a fool, — coming  home  and  finding  her 
“ off,  like  Bob’s  horse,  with  nobody  to  pay  the  reckoning;” 
furniture  gone, — flag-bottomed  chairs  and  all ; — and  with 
it,  his  “long  togs,”  the  half  pay,  his  beaver  hat,  white  linen 
shirts,  and  everything  else.  His  wife  he  never  saw  or 
heard  of,  from  that  day  to  this,  and  never  wished  to.  Then 
followed  a sweeping  assertion,  not  much  to  the  credit  of 
the  sex,  if  true,  though  he  has  Pope  to  back  him.  “ Come, 
Chips,  cheer  up  like  a man,  and  take  some  hot  grub! 
Don’t  be  made  a fool  of  by  anything  in  petticoats  ! As  for 
your  wife,  you’ll  never  see  her  again  ; she  was  ‘ up  keeleg 
and  off’  before  you  were  outside  of  Cape  Cod.  You’ve 
hove  your  money  away  like  a fool  ; but  every  man  must 
learn  once,  just  as  I did  ; so  you’d  better  square  the  yards 
with  her,  and  make  the  best  of  it.” 

This  was  the  best  consolation  “ Sails”  had  to  offer, 
but  it  did  not  seem  to  be  just  the  thing  the  carpenter 
wanted ; for,  during  several  days,  he  was  very  much  de- 
jected and  bore  with  difficulty  the  jokes  of  the  sailors,  and 
with  still  more  difficulty  their  attempts  at  advice  and  consol- 
ation, of  most  of  which  the  sailmaker’s  was  a good  speci- 
men. 

Thursday , Feb.  i$th.  Set  sail  for  Santa  Barbara,  where 


240 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


we  arrived  on  Sunday,  the  28th.  We  just  missed  of  seeing 
the  California,  for  she  had  sailed  three  days  before,  bound 
to  Monterey,  to  enter  her  cargo  and  procure  her  license, 
and  thence  to  San  Francisco,  etc.  Captain  Arthur  left 

files  of  Boston  papers  for  Captain  T , which,  after  they 

had  been  read  and  talked  over  in  the  cabin,  I procured 
from  my  friend  the  third  mate.  One  file  was  of  all  the 
Boston  Transcripts  for  the  month  of  August,  1835,  and  the 
rest  were  about  a dozen  Daily  Advertisers  and  Couriers, 
of  different  dates.  After  all,  there  is  nothing  in  a strange 
land  like  a newspaper  from  home.  Even  a letter,  in 
many  respects,  is  nothing,  in  comparison  with  it.  It  car- 
ries you  back  to  the  spot,  better  than  anything  else.  It 
is  almost  equal  to  clairvoyance . The  names  of  the  streets, 
with  the  things  advertised,  is  almost  as  good  as  seeing  the 
signs  ; and  while  reading  “ Boy  lost ! ” one  can  almost 
hear  the  bell  and  well-known  voice  of  “ Old  Wilson, ” cry- 
ing the  boy  as  “ strayed,  stolen,  or  mislaid ! ” Then  there 
was  the  Commencement  at  Cambridge,  and  the  full  account 
of  the  exercises  at  the  graduating  of  my  own  class.  A 
list  of  all  those  familar  names,  (beginning  as  usual  with 
Abbot,  and  ending  with  W.),  which,  as  I read  them  over, 
one  by  one,  brought  up  their  faces  and  characters  as  I had 
known  them  in  the  various  scenes  of  college  life.  Then  I 
imagined  them  upon  the  stage,  speaking  their  orations,  dis- 
sertations, colloquies,  etc.,  with  the  gestures  and  tones  of 
each,  and  tried  to  fancy  the  manner  in  which  each  would 
handle  his  subject.  * * * * *,  handsome,  showy,  and 
superficial ; * * *,  with  his  strong  head,  clear  brain,  cool 
self-possession  ; * * * * modest,  sensitive,  and  un- 
derrated ; B * * * *,  the  mouth-piece  of  the  debating, 
clubs,  noisy,  vaporous,  and  democratic ; and  so  following. 
Then  I could  see  them  receiving  their  ABs  from  the  digni- 
fied, feudal-looking  President,  with  his  “auctoritate  mihi 
commissa,”  and  walking  off  the  stage  with  their  diplomas 
in  their  hands  ; while,  upon  the  very  same  day,  their 
classmate  was  walking  up  and  down  California  beach  with 
a hide  upon  his  head. 

Every  watch  below,  for  a week,  I pored  over  these  papers 
until  I was  sure  there  < ould  be  nothing  in  them  that  had 
escaped  my  attention,  and  was  ashamed  to  keep  them  any 
longer. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


241 


Saturday , March  5 th . This  was  an  important  day  in  our 
almanac,  for  it  was  on  this  day  that  we  were  first  assured 
that  our  voyage  was  really  drawing  to  a close.  The  captain 
gave  orders  to  have  the  ship  ready  for  getting  under  weigh ; 
and  observed  that  there  was  a good  breeze  to  take  us  down 
to  San  Pedro.  Then  we  were  not  going  up  to  windward. 
Thus  much  was  certain,  and  was  soon  known  fore  and  aft ; 
that  when  we  went  in  the  gig  to  take  him  off,  he  shook 
hands  with  the  people  on  the  beach,  and  said  that  he 
never  expected  see  Santa  Barbara  again.  This  settled 
the  matter,  and  sent  a thrill  of  pleasure  through  the  heart 
of  every  one  in  the  boat.  We  pulled  off  with  a will,  saying  to 
ourselves  (I  can  speak  for  myself  at  least) — “ Good-by,  Santa 
Barbara  ! — This  is  the  last  pull  here  ! — No  more  duckings 
in  your  breakers,  and  slipping  from  your  cursed  south- 
easter ! ” The  news  was  soon  known  aboard,  and  put  life 
into  everything  when  we  were  getting  under  weigh.  Each 
one  was  taking  his  last  look  at  the  mission,  the  town,  the 
breakers  on  the  beach,  and  swearing  that  no  money  would 
make  him  ship  to  see  them  again  ; and  when  all  hands 
tallied  on  to  the  cat-fall,  the  chorus  of  “ Time  for  us  to  go,” 
was  raised  for  the  first  time,  and  joined  in,  with  full  swing, 
by  everybody.  One  would  have  thought  we  were  on  our  voy- 
age home,  so  near  did  it  seem  to  us,  though  there  were 
yet  three  months  for  us  on  the  coast.” 

We  left  here  the  young  Englishman,  George  Marsh,  of 
whom  I have  before  spoken,  who  was  wrecked  upon  the 
Pelew  Islands.  He  left  us  to  take  the  berth  of  second 
mate  on  board  the  Ayacucho,  which  was  lying  in  port. 
He  was  well  qualified  for  this,  and  his  education  would 
enable  him  to  rise  to  any  situation  on  board  ship.  I felt 
really  sorry  to  part  from  him.  There  was  something  about 
him  which  excited  my  curiosity  ; for  I could  not,  for  a 
moment,  doubt  that  he  was  well  born,  and,  in  early  life, 
well  bred.  There  was  the  latent  gentleman  about  him, 
and  the  sense  of  honor,  and  no  little  of  the  pride,  of  a 
young  man  of  good  family.  The  situation  was  offered  him 
only  a few  hours  before  we  sailed  ; and  though  he  must 
give  up  returning  to  America,  yet  I have  no  doubt  that 
the  change  from  a dog’s  berth  to  an  officer’s,  was  too 
agreeable  to  his  feelings  to  be  declined.  We  pulled  him 
on  board  the  Ayacucho,  and  when  he  left  the  boat  he  gave 


242 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


each  of  its  crew  a piece  of  money,  except  myself,  and  shook 
hands  with  me,  nodding  his  head,  as  much  as  to  say; — 
“ We  understand  one  another,”  and  sprang  on  board. 
Had  I known,  an  hour  sooner,  that  he  was  to  leave  us,  I 
would  have  made  an  effort  to  get  from  him  the  true  history 
of  his  early  life.  He  knew  that  I had  no  faith  in  the  story 
which  he  told  the  crew,  and  perhaps,  in  the  moment  of 
parting  from  me,  probably  forever,  he  would  have  given 
me  the  true  account.  Whether  I shall  ever  meet  him 
again,  or  whether  his  manuscript  narrative  of  his  ad- 
ventures in  the  Pelew  Islands,  which  would  be  creditable 
to  him  and  interesting  to  the  world,  will  ever  see  the  light, 
I cannot  tell.  His  is  one  of  those  cases  which  are  more 
numerous  than  those  suppose,  who  have  never  lived  any- 
where but  in  their  own  homes,  and  never  walked  but  in 
one  line  from  their  cradle  to  their  graves.  We  must  come 
down  from  our  heights,  and  leave  our  straight  paths,  for 
the  byways  and  low  places  of  life,  if  we  would  learn 
truths  by  strong  contrasts  ; and  in  hovels,  in  forecastles, 
and  among  our  own  outcasts  in  foreign  lands,  see  what  has 
been  wrought  upon  our  fellow-creatures  by  accident,  hard- 
ship, or  vice. 

Two  days  brought  us  to  San  Pedro,  and  two  days  more 
(to  our  no  small  joy)  gave  us  our  last  view  of  that  place, 
which  was  universally  called  the  hell  of  California,  and 
seemed  designed,  in  every  way,  for  the  wear  and  tear  of 
sailors.  Not  even  the  last  view  could  bring  out  one  feel- 
ing of  regret.  No  thanks,  thought  I,  as  we  left  the  sandy 
shores  in  the  distance,  for  the  hours  I have  walked  over 
your  stones,  barefooted,  with  hides  on  my  head  ; — for  the 
burdens  I have  carried  up  your  steep,  muddy  hill  ; — for 
the  duckings  in  your  surf  ; and  for  the  long  days  and 
longer  nights  passed  on  your  desolate  hill,  watching  piles 
of  hides,  hearing  the  sharp  bark  of  your  eternal  coati,  and 
and  the  dismal  hooting  of  your  owls. 

As  I bade  good-by  to  each  successive  place,  I felt  as 
though  one  link  after  another  were  struck  from  the  chain 
of  my  servitude.  Having  kept  close  in  shore,  for  the 
land-breeze,  we  passed  the  mission  of  San  Juan  Cam- 
pestrano  the  same  night,  and  saw  distinctly,  by  the  bright 
moonlight,  the  hill  which  I had  gone  down  by  a pair  of 
halyards  in  search  of  a few  paltry  hides,  “ Forsitan  et 


TWO  YEATS  WE  FORE  TBE  'MAST. 


243 

hoec  olim,**  thought  I,  and  took  my  last  look  of  that  place 
too.  And  on  the  next  Were  under  the  high 

point  of  San  Diego.  The  flood  tldd  took  us  swiftly  in,  and 
we  came-to,  opposite  our  hide-house,  and  prepared  to  get 
everything  in  trim  for  a long  stay.  This  was  our  last  port. 
Here  we  were  to  discharge  everything  from  the  ship,  clean 
her  out,  smoke  her,  take  in  our  hides,  wood,  water,  etc. 
and  set  sail  for  Boston.  While  all  this  was  doing,  we 
were  to  lie  still  in  one  place,  and  the  port  was  a safe  one, 
and  there  was  no  fear  of  southeasters.  Accordingly,  hav- 
ing picked  out  a good  berth,  in  the  stream,  with  a good 
smooth  beach  opposite,  for  a landing-place,  and  within  two 
cables*  length  of  our  hide-house,  we  moored  ship,  unbent 
all  the  sails,  sent  down  the  top-gallant  yards  and  all  the 
studding-sail  booms,  and  housed  the  top-gallant  masts. 
The  boats  were  then  hove  out,  and  all  the  sails,  the  spare 
spars,  the  stores,  the  rigging  not  rove,  and,  in  fact,  every- 
thing which  was  not  in  daily  use,  sent  ashore,  and  stowed 
away  in  the  house.  Then  went  all  our  hides  and  horns, 
and  we  left  hardly  anything  in  the  ship  but  her  ballast,  and 
this  we  made  preparation  to  heave  out,  the  next  day.  At 
night,  after  we  had  knocked  off,  and  were  sitting  round  in 
the  forecastle,  smoking  and  talking  and  taking  sailors* 
pleasure,  we  congratulated  ourselves  upon  being  in  that 
situation  in  which  we  had  wished  ourselves  every  time  we 
had  come  into  San  Diego.  “ If  we  were  only  here  for 
the  last  time,**  we  had  often  said,  “ with  our  top-gallant 
masts  housed  and  our  sails  unbent ! **  and  now  we  had  our 
wish.  Six  weeks,  or  two  months,  of  the  hardest  work  we 
had  yet  seen,  was  before  us,  and  then — “ Good-by  to 
California  I ” 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

We  tumed-in  early,  knowing  that  we  might  expect 
an  early  call  ; and  sure  enough,  before  the  stars  had  quite 
faded,  “ All  hands  ahoy ! **  and  we  were  turned-to,  heaving 
out  ballast.  A regulation  of  the  port  forbids  any  ballast 
to  be  thrown  overboard  ; accordingly,  our  long-boat  was 


a 44 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


lined  inside  with  rough  boards  and  brought  alongside  the 
gangway,  but  where  one  tub-full  went  into  the  boat,  twenty 
went  overboard.  This  is  done  by  every  vessel,  for  the 
ballast  can  make  but  little  difference  in  the  channel,  and 
it  saves  more  than  a week  of  labor,  which  would  be  spent 
in  loading  the  boats,  rowing  them  to  the  point,  and  un- 
loading them.  When  any  people  from  the  presidio  were 
on  board,  the  boat  was  hauled  up  and  the  ballast  thrown 
in  ; but  when  the  coast  was  clear,  she  was  dropped  astern 
again,  and  the  ballast  fell  overboard.  This  is  one  of  those 
petty  frauds  which  every  vessel  practises  in  ports  of  in- 
ferior foreign  nations,  and  which  are  lost  sight  of,  among 
the  countless  deeds  of  greater  weight  which  are  hardly  less 
common.  Fortunately,  a sailor,  not  being  a free  agent  in 
work  aboard  ship,  is  not  accountable  ; yet  the  fact  of  be- 
ing constantly  employed,  without  thought,  in  such  things, 
begets  an  indifference  to  the  rights  of  others. 

Friday,  and  a part  of  Saturday,  we  were  engaged  in 
this  work,  until  we  had  thrown  out  all  but  what  we  wanted 
under  our  cargo  on  the  passage  home ; when,  as  the  next 
day  was  Sunday,  and  a good  day  for  smoking  ship,  we 
cleared  everything  out  of  the  cabin  and  forecastle,  made 
a slow  fire  of  charcoal,  birch  bark,  brimstone,  and  other 
matters,  on  the  ballast  in  the  bottom  of  the  hold,  calked 
up  the  hatches  and  every  open  seam,  and  pasted  over  the 
cracks  of  the  windows,  and  the  slides  of  the  scuttles,  and 
companion-way.  Wherever  smoke  was  seen  coming  out,  we 
calked  and  pasted,  and,  so  far  as  we  could,  made  the  ship 
smoke  tight.  The  captain  and  officers  slept  under  the 
awning  which  was  spread  over  the  quarter-deck ; and  we 
stowed  ourselves  away  under  an  old  studding-sail,  which 
we  drew  over  one  side  of  the  forecastle.  The  next  day, 
from  fear  that  something  might  happen,  orders  were  given 
for  no  one  to  leave  the  ship,  and,  as  the  decks  were 
lumbered  up  with  everything,  we  could  not  wash  them 
down,  so  we  had  nothing  to  do,  all  day  long.  Unfortu- 
nately, our  books  were  where  we  could  not  get  them,  and 
we  were  turning  about  for  something  to  do,  when  one  man 
recollected  a book  he  had  left  in  the  galley.  He  went 
after  it,  and  it  proved  to  be  Woodstock.  This  was  a 
great  windfall,  and  as  all  could  not  read  it  at  once,  I,  being 
the  scholar  of  the  company,  was  appointed  reader.  I got 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


245 


a knot  of  six  or  eight  about  me,  and  no  one  could  have 
had  a more  attentive  audience.  Some  laughed  at  the 
“ scholars,”  and  went  over  the  other  side  of  the  forecastle, 
to  work,  and  spin  their  yarns  : but  I carried  the  day,  and 
had  the  cream  of  the  crew  for  my  hearers.  Many  of  the 
reflections,  and  the  political  parts,  I omitted,  but  all  the 
narrative  they  were  delighted  with  ; especially  the  descrip- 
tions of  the  Puritans,  and  the  sermons  and  harangues  of 
the  Round-head  soldiers.  The  gallantry  of  Charles,  Dr. 
Radcliffe’s  plots,  the  knavery  of  “ trusty  Tompkins/’ — in 
fact,  every  part  seemed  to  chain  their  attention.  Many 
things  which,  while  I was  reading,  I had  a misgiving  about, 
thinking  them  above  their  capacity,  I was  surprised  to 
find  them  enter  into  completely, 

I read  nearly  all  day,  until  sundown  : when,  as  soon 
as  supper  was  over,  as  I had  nearly  finished,  they  got  a 
light  from  the  gallery  ; and  by  skipping  what  was  less  in- 
teresting, I carried  them  through  to  the  marriage  of  Ever- 
ard,  and  the  restoration  of  Charles  the  Second,  before 
eight  o’clock. 

The  next  morning,  we  took  the  battens  from  the  hatches 
and  opened  the  ship.  A few  stifled  rats  were  found  ; and 
what  bugs,  cockroaches,  fleas,  and  other  vermin,  there 
might  have  been  on  board,  must  have  unrove  their  life- 
lines before  the  hatches  were  opened.  The  ship  being 
now  ready,  wre  covered  the  bottom  of  the  hold  over,  fore 
and  aft,  with  dried  bush,  for  dunnage,  and  having  levellee 
everything  away,  were  ready  to  take  in  our  cargo.  All  th« 
hides  that  had  been  collected  since  the  California  left  the 
coast,  (a  little  more  than  two  years),  amounting  to  aboul 
forty  thousand,  were  cured,  dried,  and  stowed  away  in 
the  house,  waiting  for  our  good  ship  to  take  them  tj 
Boston. 

Now  began  the  operation  of  taking  in  our  cargo,  which 
kept  us  hard  at  work,  from  the  gray  of  the  morning  till 
star-light,  for  six  weeks,  with  the  exception  of  Sundays, 
and  of  just  time  to  swallow  our  meals.  To  carry  the 
work  on  quicker,  a division  of  labor  was  made.  Two  men 
threw  the  hides  down  from  the  piles  in  the  house,  two 
more  picked  them  up  and  put  them  on  a long  horizontal 
pole,  raised  a few  feet  from  the  ground,  where  they  were 
beaten,  by  two  more,  with  flails,  somewhat  like  those  used 


2 46  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

in  threshing  wheat  When  beaten,  they  were  taken  from 
this  pole  by  two  more,  and  placed  upon  a platform  of 
boards ; and  ten  or  a dozen  men  with  their  trowsers 
rolled  up,  were  constantly  going,  back  and  forth,  from  the 
platform  to  the  boat,  which  was  kept  off  where  she  would 
just  float,  with  the  hides  upon  their  heads.  The  throwing 
the  hides  upon  the  pole  was  the  most  difficult  work,  and 
required  a sleight  of  hand  which  was  only  to  be  got  by 
long  practice.  As  I was  known  for  a hide-curer,  this  post 
was  assigned  to  me,  and  I continued  at  it  for  six  or  eight 
days,  tossing,  in  that  time,  from  eight  to  ten  thousand 
hides,  until  my  wrists  became  so  lame  that  I gave  in  ; and 
was  transferred  to  the  gang  that  was  employed  in  filling 
the  boats,  where  I remained  for  the  rest  of  the  time.  As 
we  were  obliged  to  carry  the  hides  on  our  heads  from 
fear  of  their  getting  wet,  we  each  had  a piece  of  sheep- 
skin sewed  into  the  inside  of  our  hats,  with  the  wool  next 
our  heads,  and  thus  were  able  to  bear  the  weight,  day 
after  day,  which  would  otherwise  have  soon  worn  off  our 
hair,  and  borne  hard  upon  our  skulls.  Upon  the  whole, 
ours  was  the  best  berth  ; for  though  the  water  was  nipping 
cold,  early  in  the  morning  and  late  at  night,  and  being  so 
continually  wet  was  rather  an  exposure,  yet  we  got  rid  of 
the  constant  dust  and  dirt  from  the  beating  of  the  hides, 
and  being  all  of  us  young  and  hearty,  did  not  mind  the 
exposure.  The  older  men  of  the  crew,  whom  it  would 
have  been  dangerous  to  have  kept  in  the  water,  remained 
on  board  with  the  mate,  to  stow  the  hides  away,  as  fast  as 
they  were  brought  off  by  the  boats. 

We  continued  at  work  in  this  manner  until  the  lower 
hold  was  filled  to  within  four  feet  of  the  beams,  when  all 
hands  were  called  aboard  to  commence  steering.  As  this 
is  a peculiar  operation,  it  will  require  a minute  description. 

Before  stowing  the  hides,  as  I have  said,  the  ballast  is 
levelled  off,  just  above  the  keelson,  and  then  loose  dun* 
nage  placed  upon  it,  on  which  the  hides  rest.  The  great- 
est care  is  used  in  stowing,  to  make  the  ship  hold  as  many 
hides  as  possible.  It  is  no  mean  art,  and  a man  skilled 
in  it  is  an  important  character  in  California.  Many  a dis- 
pute have  I heard  raging  high  between  professed  “ beach- 
combers,^ as  to  whether  the  hides  should  be  stowed 
u shingling,”  or  “ back-to-back,  and  flipper-to-flipper  ; ” upon 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


247 


which  point  there  was  an  entire  and  bitter  division  of  sen- 
timent among  the  savans.  We  adopted  each  method  at  dif* 
ferent  periods  of  the  stowing,  and  parties  ran  high  in  the 
forecastle,  some  siding  with  “ old  Bill  ” in  favor  of  the  for- 
mer, and  others  scouting  him,  and  relying  upon  u English 
Bob  ” of  the  Ayacucho,  who  had  been  eight  years  in  Cal- 
ifornia, and  was  willing  to  risk  his  life  and  limb  for  the 
latter  method.  At  length  a compromise  was  effected,  and 
a middle  course,  of  shifting  the  ends  and  backs  at  every 
lay,  was  adopted,  which  worked  well,  and  which,  though 
they  held  it  inferior  to  their  own,  each  party  granted 
was  better  than  that  of  the  other. 

Having  filled  the  ship  up,  in  this  way,  to  within  four 
feet  of  her  beams,  the  process  of  steeving  commenced,  by 
which  an  hundred  hides  are  got  into  a place  where  one 
could  not  be  forced  by  hand,  and  which  presses  the  hides 
to  the  utmost,  sometimes  starting  the  beams  of  the  ship, 
resembling  in  its  effects  the  jack-screws  with  are  used  in 
stowing  cotton.  Each  morning  we  went  ashore,  and  beat 
and  brought  off  as  many  hides  as  we  could  steeve  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  and,  after  breakfast,  went  down  into  the 
hold,  where  we  remained  at  work  until  night.  The  whole 
length  of  the  hold,  from  stem  to  stern,  was  floored  off  level, 
and  we  began  with  raising  a pile  in  the  after  part,  hard 
against  the  bulkhead  of  the  run,  and  filling  it  up  to  the 
beams,  crowding  in  as  many  as  we  could  by  hand  and  push- 
ing in  with  oars  ; when  a large  “ book”  was  made  of  from 
twenty-five  to  fifty  hides,  doubled  at  the  backs,  and  put 
into  one  another,  like  the  leaves  of  a book.  An  opening 
was  then  made  between  two  hides  in  the  pile,  and  the  back 
of  the  outside  hide  of  the  book  inserted.  Two  long, 
heavy  spars,  called  steeves,  made  of  the  strongest  wood, 
and  sharpened  off  like  a wedge  at  one  end,  were  placed 
with  their  wedge  ends  into  the  inside  of  the  hide  which  was 
the  centre  of  the  book,  and  to  the  other  end  of  each,  straps 
were  fitted,  into  which  large  tackles  were  hooked,  composed 
each  of  two  huge  purchase  blocks  one  hooked  to  the  strap 
on  the  end  of  the  steeve,  and  the  other  into  a dog,  fastened 
into  one  of  the  beams,  as  far  aft  as  it  could  be  got.  When 
this  was  arranged,  and  the  ways  greased  upon  which  the 
book  was  to  slide,  the  falls  of  the  tackles  were  stretched  for- 
ward, and  all  hands  tallied  on,  and  bowsed  away  until  the 


248  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

book  was  well  entered ; when  these  tackles  were  nipped, 
straps  and  toggles  clapped  upon  the  falls,  and  two  more  luff 
tackles  hooked  on,  with  dogs,  in  the  same  manner ; and 
thus,  by  luff  upon  luff,  the  power  was  multiplied,  until  into 
a pile  in  which  one  hide  more  could  not  be  crowded  by  hand, 
an  hundred  or  an  hundred  and  fifty  were  often  driven  in  by 
this  complication  of  purchases.  When  the  last  luff  was 
hooked  on,  all  hands  were  called  to  the  rope — cook, 
steward,  and  all — and  ranging  ourselves  at  the  falls,  one 
behind  the  other,  sitting  down  on  the  hides,  with  our  heads 
just  even  with  the  beams,  we  set  taught  upon  the  tackles, 
and  striking  up  a song,  and  all  lying  back  at  the  chorus, 
we  bowsed  the  tackles  home,  and  drove  the  large  books 
chock  in  out  of  sight. 

The  sailors’  songs  for  capstans  and  falls  are  of  a pecu- 
liar kind,  having  a chorus  at  the  end  of  each  line.  The  bur- 
den is  usually  sung  by  one  alone,  and,  at  the  chorus,  all 
hands  join  in, — and  the  louder  the  noise,  the  better.  With 
us,  the  chorus  seemed  almost  to  raise  the  decks  of  the 
ship,  and  might  be  heard  at  a great  distance,  ashore.  A 
song  is  as  necessary  to  sailors  as  the  drum  and  fife  to  a 
soldier.  They  can’t  pull  in  time,  or  pull  with  a will,  without 
it.  Many  a time,  when  a thing  goes  heavy,  with  one  fellow 
yo-ho-ing,  a lively  song,  like  “ Heave,  to  the  girls  ! ” Nancy 
Ho,”  “ Jack  Crosstree  ” etc.,  has  put  life  and  strength  into 
every  arm.  We  often  found-  a great  difference  in  the 
effect  of  the  different  songs  in  driving  in  the  hides.  Two 
or  three  songs  would  be  tried,  one  after  the  other,  with  no 
effect ; — not  an  inch  could  be  got  upon  the  tackle — 
when  a new  song,  struck  up,  seemed  to  hit  the  humor 
of  the  moment,  and  drove  the  tackles  “ two  blocks”  at 
once.  “ Heave  round  hearty ! ” “ Captain  gone  ashore  ! ” 
and  the  like,  might  do  for  common  pulls,  but  on  an 
emergency,  when  we  wanted  a heavy,  “ raise-the-dead” 
pull,  which  should  start  the  beams  of  the  ship,  there 
was  nothing  like  “ Time  for  us  to  go  ! ” “ Round  the 
corner,”  or  “ Hurrah  ! Hurrah  my  hearty  bullies  1 ” 

This  was  the  most  lively  part  of  our  work.  A little 
boating  and  beach  work  in  the  morning  ; then  twenty  or 
thirty  men  down  in  a close  hold,  where  we  were  obliged  to 
sit  down  and  silde  about,  passing  hides,  and  rowsing  about 
the  great  steeves,  tackles,  and  dogs,  singing  out  at  the 


TIVO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


249 


falls,  and  seeing  the  ship  filling  up  every  day.  The  work 
was  as  hard  as  it  could  well  be.  There  was  not  a moment’s 
cessation  from  Monday  morning  till  Saturday  night,  when 
we  were  generally  beaten  out,  and  glad  to  have  a full 
night’s  rest,  a wash  and  shift  of  clothes,  and  a quiet  Sun- 
day. During  all  this  time, — which  would  have  startled  Dr. 
Graham — we  lived  upon  almost  nothing  but  fresh  beef  : 
fried  beefsteaks,  three  times  a day, — morning,  noon,  and 
night.  At  morning  and  night  we  had  a quart  of  tea  to 
each  man  ; and  an  allowance  of  about  a pound  of  hard 
bread  a day  ; but  our  chief  article  of  food  was  the  beef. 
A mess,  consisting  of  six  men  had  a large  wooden  kid 
piled  up  with  beefsteaks,  cut  thick,  and  fried  in  fat,  with 
the  grease  poured  over  them.  Round  this  we  sat,  attack- 
ing it  with  our  jack-knives  and  with  the  appetite  of  young 
lions,  and  sent  back  an  empty  kid  to  the  galley.  This  was 
done  three  times  a day.  How  many  pounds  each  man  ate 
in  a day,  I will  not  attempt  to  compute.  A whole  bullock  (we 
ate  liver  and  all)  lasted  us  but  four  days.  Such  devouring 
of  flesh,  I will  venture  to  say,  was  seldom  known  before. 
What  one  man  ate  in  a day,  over  a hearty  man’s  allowance, 
would  make  a Russian’s  heart  leap  into  his  mouth.  Indeed, 
during  all  the  time  we  were  upon  the  coast,  our  principal 
food  was  fresh  beef,  and  every  man  had  perfect  health ; 
but  this  was  a time  of  especial*  devouring  ; and  what  we 
should  have  done  without  meat,  I cannot  tell.  Once  or 
twice,  when  our  bullocks  failed  and  we  were  obliged  to 
make  a meal  upon  dry  bread  and  water,  it  seemed  like 
feeding  upon  shavings.  Light  and  dry,  feeling  unsatisfied, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  full,  we  were  glad  to  see  four  quar- 
ters of  a bullock,  just  killed,  swinging  from  the  fore-top. 
Whatever  theories  many  be  started  by  sedentary  men, 
certainly  no  men  could  have  gone  through  more  hard  work 
and  exposure  for  sixteen  months  in  more  perfect  health,  and 
without  ailings  and  failings,  than  our  ship’s  crew,  let  them 
have  lived  upon  Hygeia’s  own  baking  and  dressing. 

Friday , April  i$th.  Arrived,  brig  Pilgrim  from  the 
windward.  It  was  a sad  sight  for  her  crew  to  see  us  get- 
ting ready  to  go  off  the  coast,  while  they,  who  had  been 
longer  on  the  coast  than  the  Alert,  were  condemned 
to  another  year’s  hard  service.  I spent  an  evening  on 
board.,  and  found  them  making  the  best  of  the  matter,  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*50 

determined  to  rough  it  out  as  they  might  ; but  my 

friend  S was  determined  to  go  home  in  the  ship,  if 

money  or  interest  could  bring  it  to  pass.  After  considera- 
ble negotiating  and  working,  he  succeeded  in  persuading 
my  English  friend,  Tom  Harris, — my  companion  in  the 
anchor  watch — for  thirty  dollars,  some  clothes,  and  an 
intimation  from  Captain  Faucon  that  he  should  want  a 
second  mate  before  the  voyage  was  up,  to  take  his  place  in 
the  brig  as  soon  as  she  was  ready  to  go  up  to  windward. 

The  first  opportunity  I could  get  to  speak  to  Captain 
Faucon,  I asked  him  to  step  up  to  the  oven  and  look  at 
Hope,  whom  he  knew  well,  having  had  him  on  board  his 
vessel.  He  went  to  see  him,  but  said  that  he  had  so  little 
medicine,  and  expected  to  be  so  long  on  the  coast,  that  he 
could  do  nothing  for  him,  but  that  Captain  Arthur  would 
take  care  of  him  when  he  came  down  in  the  California, 
which  would  be  in  a week  or  more.  I had  been  to  see 
Hope  the  first  night  after  we  got  into  San  Diego  this  last 
time,  and  had  frequently  since  spent  the  early  part  of  a 
night  in  the  oven.  I hardly  expected,  when  I left  him  to 
go  to  windward,  to  find  him  alive  upon  my  return.  He 
was  certainly  as  low  as  he  could  well  be  when  I left  him, 
and  what  would  be  the  effect  of  the  medicines  that  I gave 
him,  I hardly  then  dared  to  conjecture.  Yet  I knew  that 
he  must  die  without  them.  I was  not  a little  rejoiced, 
therefore,  and  relieved,  upon  our  return,  to  see  him  decid- 
edly better.  The  medicines  were  strong,  and  took  hold 
and  gave  a check  to  the  disorder  which  was  destroying 
him  ; and,  more  than  that,  they  had  begun  the  work  of  ex- 
terminating it.  I shall  never  forget  the  gratitude  that  he 
expressed.  All  the  Kanakas  attributed  his  escape  solely 
to  my  knowledge,  and  would  not  be  persuaded  that  I had 
not  all  the  secrets  of  the  physical  system  open  to  me  and 
under  my  control.  My  medicines,  however,  were  gone, 
and  no  more  could  be  got  from  the  ship,  so  that  his  life 
was  left  to  hang  upon  the  arrival  of  the  California. 

Sunday , April  24 th.  We  had  now  been  nearly  seven 
weeks  in  San  Diego,  and  had  taken  in  the  greater  part  of 
our  cargo,  and  were  looking  out,  every  day,  for  the  arrival 
of  the  California,  which  had  our  agent  on  board  ; when, 
this  afternoon,  some  Kanakas,  who  had  been  over  the  hill 
for  rabbits  and  to  fight  rattlesnakes,  came  running  down 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


25* 


the  path,  singing  out,  “ Kail  ho  ! ” with  all  their  might. 
Mr.  H.,  our  third  mate,  was  ashore,  and  asking  them  par- 
ticularly about  the  size  of  the  sail,  etc.,  and  learning  that 
it  was  “ Moku — Nui  Moku”  hailed  our  ship,  and  said  that 
the  California  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  point.  Instantly, 
all  hands  were  turned  up,  the  bow  guns  rum  out  and  loaded, 
the  ensign  and  broad  pennant  set,  the  yards  squared  by 
lifts  and  braces,  and  everything  got  ready  to  make  a good 
appearance.  The  instant  she  showed  her  nose  round  the 
point,  we  began  our  salute.  She  came  in  under  top-gal- 
lant. sails,  clewed  up  and  furled  her  sails  in  good  order, 
and  came  to,  within  good  swinging  distance  of  us.  It  be- 
ing Sunday,  and  nothing  to  do,  all  hands  were  on  the  fore- 
castle, criticising  the  new-comer.  She  was  a good,  sub- 
stantial ship,  not  quite  so  long  as  the  Alert,  and  wall-sided 
and  kettle  bottomed,  after  the  latest  fashion  of  south-shore 
cotton  and  sugar  wagons  ; strong,  too,  and  tight,  and  a 
good  average  sailer,  but  with  no  pretensions  to  beauty,  and 
nothing  in  the  style  of  a “ crack  ship.”  Upon  the  whole, 
we  were  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  Alert  might  hold  up 
her  head  with  a ship  twice  as  smart  as  she. 

At  night,  some  of  us  got  a boat  and  went  on  board,  and 
found  a large,  roomy  forecastle,  (for  she  was  squarer  for- 
ward than  the  Alert,)  and  a crew  of  a dozen  or  fifteen  men 
and  boys,  sitting  around  on  their  chests,  smoking  and 
talking,  and  ready  to  give  a welcome  to  any  of  our  ship’s 
company.  It  was  just  seven  months  since  they  left  Boston, 
which  seemed  but  yesterday  to  us.  Accordingly,  we  had 
much  to  ask,  for  though  we  had  seen  the  newspapers  that 
she  brought,  yet  these  were  the  very  men  who  had  been 
in  Boston  and  seen  everything  with  their  very  own  eyes. 
One  of  the  green  hands  was  a Boston  boy,  from  one  of  the 
public  schools,  and,  of  course,  knew  many  things  which  we 
wished  to  ask  about,  and  on  inquiring  the  names  of  our 
two  Boston  boys,  found  that  they  had  been  schoolmates 
of  his.  Our  men  had  hundreds  of  questions  to  ask  about 
Ann  street,  the  boarding  houses,  the  ships  in  port,  the  rate 
of  wages,  and  other  matters. 

Among  her  crew  were  two  English  man-of-war’s-men, 
so  that,  of  course,  we  soon  had  music.  They  sang  in  the 
true  sailor’s  style,  and  the  rest  of  the  crew,  which  was  a 
remarkably  musical  one,  joined  in  the  choruses.  They 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


252 

had  many  of  the  latest  sailor  songs,  which  had  not  yet  got 
about  among  our  merchantmen,  and  which  they  were  very 
choice  of.  They  began  soon  after  we  came  on  board,  and 
kept  it  up  until  after  two  bells,  when  the  second  mate  came 
forward  and  called  “ the  Alerts  away ! ” Battle-songs, 
drinking-songs,  boat-songs,  love-songs,  and  everything  else, 
they  seemed  to  have  a complete  assortment  of,  and  I was 
glad  to  find  that  “ All  in  the  downs,”  “ Poor  Tom  Bow- 
line,” “ The  Bay  of  Biscay,”  “ List  ye  landsmen  ! ” and 
all  those  classical  songs  of  the  sea,  still  held  their  places. 
In  addition  to  these,  they  had  picked  up  at  the  theatres 
and  other  places  a few  songs  of  a little  more  genteel  cast, 
which  they  were  very  proud  of  ; and  I shall  never  forget 
hearing  an  old  salt,  who  had  broken  his  voice  by  hard 
drinking  on  shore,  and  bellowing  from  the  mast-head  in  an 
hundred  northwesters,  with  all  manner  of  ungovernable 
trills  and  quavers — in  the  high  notes  breaking  into  a rough 
falsetto — and  in  the  low  ones,  growling  along  like  the 
dying  away  of  the  boatswain’s  “ all  hands  ahoy ! ” down 
the  hatchway,  singing,  “ Oh  no,  we  never  mention  him.” 

“ Perhaps,  like  me,  he  struggles  with 
Each  feeling  of  regret  ; 

But  if  he’s  loved  as  I have  loved, 

He  never  can  forget  I ” 

The  last  line,  being  the  conclusion,  ne  roared  out  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  breaking  each  word  up  into  half  a 
dozen  syllables.  This  was  very  popular,  and  Jack  was 
called  upon  every  night  to  give  them  his  “ sentimental 
song.”  No  one  called  for  it  more  loudly  than  I,  for  the 
complete  absurdity  of  the  execution,  and  the  sailor’s  per- 
fect satisfaction  in  it,  were  ludicrous  beyond  measure. 

The  next  day,  the  California  commenced  unloading  her 
cargo  ; and  her  boats’  crews,  in  coming  and  going,  sang 
their  boat-songs,  keeping  time  with  their  oars.  This  they 
did  all  day  long  for  several  days,  until  .their  hides  were  all 
discharged,  when  a gang  of  them  was  sent  on  board  the 
Alert,  to  help  us  steeve  our  hides.  This  was  a windfall 
for  us,  for  they  had  a set  of  new  songs  for  the  capstan  and 
fall,  and  ours  had  got  nearly  worn  out  by  six  weeks’  con- 
stant use.  I have  no  doubt  that  this  timely  reinforcement 
of  songs  hastened  our  work  several  days. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  i MAST \ 


2.S3 

Our  cargo  was  now  nearly  all  taken  in  ; and  my  old 
friend,  the  Pilgrim,  having  completed  her  discharge,  un- 
moored, to  set  sail  the  next  morning  on  another  long  trip 
to  windward.  I was  just  thinking  of  her  hard  lot,  and  con- 
gratulating myself  upon  my  escape  from  her,  when  I re- 
ceived a summons  into  the  cabin.  I went  aft,  and  there 
found,  seated  round  the  cabin  table,  my  own  captain,  Cap- 
tain Faucon  of  the  Pilgrim,'  and  Mr.  R , the  agent. 

Captain  T—  turned  to  me  and  asked  abruptly — - 

“ D , do  you  want  to  go  home  in  the  ship  ? ” 

“ Certainly,  sir,”  said  I ; “ I expect  to  go  home  in  the 
ship.” 

“ Then,”  said  he,  “ you  must  get  some  one  to  go  in  your 
place  on  board  the  Pilgrim.” 

I was  so  completely  “taken  back  ” by  this  sudden  inti- 
mation, that  for  a moment  I could  make  no  reply.  I knew 
that  it  would  be  hopeless  to  attempt  to  prevail  upon  any  of 
the  ship’s  crew  to  take  twelve  months  more  upon  California 

in  the  brig.  I knew,  too,  that  Captain  T had  received 

orders  to  bring  me  home  in  the  Alert,  and  he  had  told  me, 
when  I was  at  the  hide-house,  that  I was  to  go  home  in 
her  ; and  even  if  this  had  not  been  so,  it  was  cruel  to  give 
me  no  notice  of  the  step  they  were  going  to  take,  until  a 
few  hours  before  the  brig  would  sail.  As  soon  as  I had 
got  my  wits  about  me,  I put  on  a bold  front,  and  told  him 
plainly  that  I had  a letter  in  my  chest  informing  me  that  he 
had  been  written  to,  by  the  owners  in  Boston,  to  bring  me 
home  in  the  ship,  and  moreover  that  he  had  told  me  that  I 
was  to  go  in  the  ship. 

To  have  this  told  him,  and  to  be  opposed  in  such  a 
manner,  was  more  than  my  lord  paramount  had  been  used 
to.  He  turned  fiercely  upon  me,  and  tried  to  look  me 
down,  and  face  me  out  of  my  statement;  but  finding  that 
that  wouldn’t  do,  and  that  I was  enteringupon  my  defence 
in  such  a way  as  would  show  to  the  other  two  that  he  was 
in  the  wrong, — he  changed  his  ground,  and  pointed  to  the 
shipping  papers  of  the  Pilgrim,  from  which  my  name  had 
never  been  erased,  and  said  that  there  was  my  name, — 
that  I belonged  to  her, — that  he  had  an  absolute  discre- 
tionary power, — and,  in  short,  that  I must  be  on  board  the 
r Pilgrim  by  the  next  morning  with  my  chest  and  hammock, 
or  have  some  one  ready  to  go  in  my  place,  and  that  he 


254 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


would  not  hear  another  word  from  me.  No  court  of  star 
chamber  could  proceed  more  summarily  with  a poor  devil, 
than  this  trio  was  about  to  do  with  me;  condemning  me 
to  a punishment  worse  that  a Botany  Bay  exile,  and  to  a 
fate  which  would  alter  the  whole  current  of  my  future  life ; 
for  two  years  more  in  California  would  have  made  me  a 
sailor  for  the  rest  of  my  days.  I felt  all  this,  and  saw  the 
necessity  of  being  determined.  I repeated  what  I had  said, 
and  insisted  upon  my  right  to  return  in  the  ship. 

I “ raised  my  arm,  and  tauld  my  crack, 

Before  them  a\” 

But  it  would  have  all  availed  me  nothing,  had  I been 
“ some  poor  body,”  before  this  absolute,  domineering 
tribunal.  But  they  saw  that  I would  not  go,  unless  “vi  et 
irmis,”  and  they  knew  that  I had  friends  and  interest 
enough  at  home  to  make  them  suffer  for  any  injustice  they 
light  do  me.  It  was  probably  this  that  turned  the  matter ; 
vor  the  captain  changed  his  tone  entirely,  and  asked  me  if, 
ill  case  any  one  went  in  my  place,  I would  give  him  the 

same  sum  that  S gave  Harris  to  exchange  with  him.  I 

told  him  that  if  any  one  was  sent  on  board  the  brig,  I 
should  pity  him,  and  be  willing  to  help  him  to  that,  or 
almost  any  amount ; but  would  not  speak  of  it  as  an  ex- 
change. 

“Very  well,”  said  he.  “ Go  forward  about  your  busi- 
ness, and  send  English  Ben  here  to  me  ! ” 

I went  forward  with  a light  heart,  but  feeling  as  angry, 
and  as  much  contempt  as  I could  well  contain  between 
my  teeth.  English  Ben  was  sent  aft,  and  in  a few  moments 
came  forward,  looking  as  though  he  had  received  his  sen- 
tence to  be  hung.  The  captain  had  told  him  to  get  his 
things  ready  to  go  on  board  the  brig  the  next  morning; 
and  that  I would  give  him  thirty  dollars  and  a suit  of 
clothes.  The  hands  had  “knocked  off  ” for  dinner,  and 
were  standing  about  the  forecastle,  when  Ben  came  forward 
and  told  hih story.  I could  see  plainly  that  it  made  a great 
excitement,  and  that,  unless  I explained  the  matter  to  them, 
the  feeling  \ rould  be  turned  against  me.  Ben  was  a poor 
English  bo > a stranger  in  Boston,  and  without  friends  or 
money ; and  being  an  active,  willing  lad,  and  a good  sailo* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*55 

for  his  years,  was  a general  favorite.  “ Oh  yes ! ” said  the 
crew,  “ the  captain  has  let  you  off,  because  you  are  a gentle- 
man’s son,  and  have  got  friends,  and  know  the  owners ; 
and  taken  Ben,  because  he  is  poor,  and  has  got  nobody  to 
say  a word  for  him  ! ” I knew  that  this  was  too  true  to  be 
answered,  but  I excused  myself  from  any  blame,  and 
told  them  that  I had  a right  to  go  home,  at  all  events. 
This  pacified  them  a little,  but  Jack  had  got  a notion  that 
a poor  lad  was  to  be  imposed  upon,  and  did  not  distinguish 
very  clearly ; and  though  I knew  that  I was  in  no  fault, 
and,  in  fact,  had  barely  escaped  the  grossest  injustice,  yet 
I felt  that  my  berth  was  getting  to  be  a disagreeable  one. 
The  notion  that  I was  not  “ one  of  them,”  which,  by  a par- 
ticipation in  all  their  labor  and  hardships,  and  having  no 
favor  shown  me,  had  been  laid  asleep,  was  beginning  to 
revive.  But  far  stronger  than  any  feeling  for  myself,  was 
the  pity  I felt  for  the  poor  lad.  He  had  depended  upon 
going  home  in  the  ship  ; and  from  Boston,  was  going  im- 
mediately to  Liverpool,  to  see  his  friends.  Beside  this, 
having  begun  the  voyage  with  very  few  clothes,  he  had 
taken  up  the  greater  part  of  his  wages  in  the  slop-chest, 
and  it  was  every  day  a losing  concern  to  him  ; and,  like 
all  the  rest  of  the  crew,  he  had  a hearty  hatred  of  California, 
and  the  prospect  of  eighteen  months  or  two  years  more  of 
hide  droghing  seemed  completely  to  break  down  his  spirit.  I 
had  determined  not  to  go  myself,  happen  what  would,  and 
I knew  that  the  captain  would  not  dare  to  attempt  to  force 
me.  I knew,  too,  that  the  two  captains  had  agreed  together 
to  get  some  one,  and  that  unless  I could  prevail  upon  some- 
body to  go  voluntarily,  there  would  be  no  help  for  Ben. 
From  this  consideration,  though  I had  said  that  I would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  an  exchange,  I did  my  best  to  get 
some  one  to  go  voluntarily.  I offered  to  give  an  order 
upon  the  owners  in  Boston  for  six  months’  wages,  and  also 
all  the  clothes,  books,  and  other  matters,  which  I should 
not  want  upon  the  voyage  home.  When  this  offer  was 
published  in  the  ship,  and  the  case  of  poor  Ben  was  set 
forth  in  strong  colors,  several,  who  would  not  have  dreamed 
of  going  themselves,  were  busy  in  talking  it  up  to  others, 
who,  they  thought,  might  be  tempted  to  accept  it ; and,  at 
length,  one  fellow,  a harum-scarum  lad,  whom  we  called 
Harry  Bluff,  and  who  did  not  care  what  country  or  ship  he 


256  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

was  in,  if  he  had  clothes  enough  and  money  enough — 
partly  from  pity  for  Ben,  and  partly  from  the  thought  he 
should  have  “ cruising  money  ” for  the  rest  of  his  stay, — 
came  forward,  and  offered  to  go  and  “ sling  his  hammock 
in  the  bloody  hooker.,,  Lest  his  purpose  should  cool,  I 
signed  an  order  for  the  sum  upon  the  owners  in  Boston, 
gave  him  all  the  clothes  I could  spare,  and  sent  him  aft  to 
the  captain,  to  let  him  know  what  had  been  done.  The 
skipper  accepted  the  exchange,  and  was,  doubtless,  glad  to 
have  it  pass  off  so  easily.  At  the  same  time  he  cashed 
the  order,  which  was  endorsed  to  him,*  and  the  next  morn- 
ing, the  lad  went  aboard  the  brig,  apparently  in  good  spirits, 
having  shaken  hands  with  each  of  us  and  wished  us  a 
pleasant  passage  home,  jingling  the  money  in  his  pockets, 
and  calling  out,  “ Never  say  die,  while  there’s  a shot  in  the 
locker.”  The  same  boat  carried  off  Harris,  my  old  watch- 
mate,  who  had  previously  made  an  exchange  with  my 
friend  S . 

I was  sorry  to  part  with  Harris.  Nearly  two  hundred 
hours  ( as  we  had  calculated  it)  had  we  walked  the  ship’s 
deck  together,  at  anchor  watch,  when  all  hands  were  below, 
and  talked  over  and  over  every  subject  which  came  within 
the  ken  of  either  of  us.  He  gave  me  a strong  grip  with 
his  hand  ; and  I told  him,  if  he  came  to  Boston  again,  not 
to  fail  to  find  me  out,  and  let  me  see  an  old  watchmate. 

The  same  boat  brought  on  board  S , my  friend,  who 

had  begun  the  voyage  with  me  from  Boston,  and,  like  me, 
was  going  back  to  his  family  and  to  the  society  which  we 
had  been  born  and  brought  up  in.  We  congratulated  one 
another  upon  finding  what  we  had  long  talked  over  and 
wished  for,  thus  brought  about ; and  none  on  board  the 
ship  were  more  glad  than  ourselves  to  see  the  old  brig 
standing  round  the  point,  under  full  sail.  As  she  passed 
abreast  of  us,  we  all  collected  in  the  waist,  and  gave  her 
three  loud,  hearty  cheers,  waving  our  hats  in  the  air.  Her 
crew  sprang  into  the  rigging  and  chains,  and  answered  us 
with  three  as  loud,  to  which  we,  after  the  nautical  custom, 
gave  one  in  return.  I took  my  last  look  of  their  familiar 

* When  the  crew  were  paid  off  in  Boston,  the  owners  answered  the 
order,  but  generously  refused  to  deduct  the  amount  from  the  pay-roll, 
saying  that  the  exchange  was  made  under  compulsion.  They  also  al- 
lowed S his  exchange  money. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


*57 


faces  as  they  got  over  the  rail,  and  saw  the  old  black  cook 
put  his  head  out  of  the  galley,  and  wave  his  cap  over  his 
head.  The  crew  flew  aloft  to  loose  the  top-gallant  sails 
and  royals  ; the  two  captains  waved  their  hands  to  one  an- 
other ; and,  in  ten  minutes,  we  saw  the  last  inch  of  her 
white  canvas,  as  she  rounded  the  point. 

Relieved  as  I was  to  see  her  well  off,  ( and  I felt  like 
one  who  had  just  sprung  from  an  iron  trap  which  was  clos- 
ing upon  him)  I had  yet  a feeling  of  regret  at  taking  the 
last  look  at  the  old  craft  in  which  I had  spent  a year  and 
the  first  year,  of  my  sailor’s  life — which  had  been  my  first 
home  in  the  new  world  into  which  I had  entered — and 
with  which  I had  associated  so  many  things, — my  first 
leaving  home,  my  first  crossing  the  equator,  Cape  Horn, 
Juan  Fernandez,  death  at  sea,  and  other  things,  serious 
and  common.  Yet,  with  all  this,  and  the  feeling  I had 
for  my  old  shipmates,  condemned  to  another  term  of  Cali- 
fornia life,  the  thought  that  we  were  done  with  it,  and  that 
one  week  more  would  see  us  on  our  way  to  Boston,  was  a 
cure  for  everything. 

Friday , May  6th , completed  the  taking  in  of  our  cargo, 
and  was  a memorable  day  in  our  calendar.  The  time  when 
we  were  to  take  in  our  last  hide,  we  had  looked  forward  to, 
for  sixteen  months,  as  the  first  bright  spot.  When  the  last 
hide  was  stowed  away,  and  the  hatches  calked  down,  the 
tarpaulins  battened  on  to  them,  the  long-boat  hoisted  in 
and  secured,  and  the  decks  swept  down  for  the  night, — 
the  chief  mate  sprang  upon  the  top  of  a long-boat,  called 
all  hands  into  the  waist,  and  giving  us  a signal  by  swing- 
inghis  cap  over  his  head, — we  gave  three  long,  loud  cheers, 
which  came  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts,  and  made  the 
hills  and  valleys  ring  again.  In  a moment,  we  heard  three, 
in  answer,  from  the  California’s  crew,  who  had  seen  us 
taking  our  long-boat,  and — “ the  cry  they  heard — its  mean- 
ing knew.” 

The  last  week,  we  had  been  occupied  in  taking  in  a 
supply  of  wood  and  water  for  the  passage  home,  and  in 
bringing  on  board  the  spare  spars,  sails,  etc.  I was  sent 
off  with  a party  of  Indians  to  fill  the  water-casks,  at  a 
spring,  about  three  miles  from  the  shipping,  and  near  the 
town,  and  was  absent  three  days,  living  at  the  town,  and 
spending  the  daytime  in  filling  the  casks  and  transporting 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


258 

them  on  ox-carts  to  the  landing-  place,  whence  they  were 
taken  on  board  by  the  crew  with  boats.  This  being  all 
done  with,  we  gave  one  day  to  bending  our  sails  ; and  ^t 
night,  every  sail,  from  the  courses  to  the  sky-sails,  was 
bent,  and  every  studding-sail  ready  for  setting. 

Before  our  sailing,  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made 
by  one  of  the  crew  of  the  California  to  effect  an  exchange 
with  one  of  our  number.  It  was  a lad,  between  fifteen 
and  sixteen  years  of  age,  who  went  by  the  name  of  the 
“ reefer,”  having  been  a midshipman  in  an  East  India 
Company’s  ship.  His  singular  character  and  story  had 
excited  our  interest  ever  since  the  ship  came  into  the  port. 
He  was  a delicate,  slender  little  fellow,  with  a beautiful 
pearly  complexion,  regular  features,  forehead  as  white  as 
marble,  black  hair,  curling  beautifully  round  it,  tapering, 
delicate  fingers,  small  feet,  soft  voice,  gentle  manners,  and, 
in  fact,  every  sign  of  having  been  well  born  and  bred.  At 
the  same  time,  there  was  something  in  his  expression 
which  showed  a slight  deficiency  of  intellect.  How  great 
the  deficiency  was,  or  what  it  resulted  from  ; whether  he 
was  born  so  ; whether  it  was  the  result  of  disease  or  acci- 
dent ; or  whether,  as  some  said,  it  was  brought  on  by  his 
distress  of  mind,  during  the  voyage,  I cannot  say.  From 
his  own  account  of  himself,  and  from  many  circumstances 
which  were  known  in  connection  with  his  story,  he  must 
have  been  the  son  of  a man  of  wealth.  His  mother  was 
an  Italian  woman.  He  was  probably  a natural  son,  for 
in  scarcely  any  other  way  could  the  incidents  of  his  early 
life  be  accounted  for.  He  said  that  his  parents  did  not 
live  together,  and  he  seemed  to  have  been  ill-treated  by 
his  father.  Though  he  had  been  delicately  brought  up, 
and  indulged  in  every  way  (and  he  had  then  with  him 
trinkets  which  had  been  given  him  at  home),  yet  his  edu- 
cation had  been  sadly  neglected  ; and  when  only  twelve 
years  old,  he  was  sent  as  midshipman  in  the  Company’s 
service.  His  own  story  was,  that  he  afterwards  ran  away 
from  home,  upon  a difficulty  which  he  had  with  his  father, 
and  went  to  Liverpool,  whence  he  sailed  in  the  ship  Rialto, 
Captain  Holmes,  for  Boston.  Captain  Holmes  endeavored 
to  get  him  a passage  back,  but  there  being  no  vessel  to 
sail  for  some  time,  the  boy  left  him,  and  went  to  board  at 
a common  sailor’s  boarding-house,  in  Ann  street,  where  he 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


259 


supported  himself  for  a few  weeks  by  selling  some  of  his 
valuables.  At  length,  according  to  his  own  account,  being 
desirous  of  returning  home,  he  went  to  a shipping  office, 
where  the  shipping  articles  of  the  California  were  open. 
Upon  asking  where  the  ship  was  going,  he  was  told  by  the 
shipping-master  that  she  was  bound  to  California.  Not 
knowing  where  that  was,  he  told  him  that  he  wanted  to  go 
to  Europe,  and  asked  if  California  was  in  Europe.  The 
shipping-master  answered  him  in  a way  which  the  boy  did 
not  understand,  and  advised  him  to  ship.  The  boy  signed 
the  articles,  received  his  advance,  laid  out  a little  of  it  in 
clothes,  and  spent  the  rest,  and  was  ready  to  go  on  board, 
when,  upon  the  morning  of  sailing,  he  heard  that  the  ship 
was  bound  upon  the  Northwest  coast,  on  a two  or  three 
years’  voyage,  and  was  not  going  to  Europe.  Frightened 
at  this  prospect,  he  slipped  away  when  the  crew  were  going 
aboard,  wandered  up  into  another  part  of  the  town,  and 
spent  all  the  forenoon  in  straying  about  the  common  and 
the  neighboring  streets.  Having  no  money,  and  all  his 
clothes  and  other  things  being  in  his  chest,  on  board,  and 
being  a stranger,  he  became  tired  and  hungry,  and  ven- 
tured down  toward  the  shipping,  to  see  if  the  vessel  had 
sailed.  He  was  just  turning  the  corner  of  a street,  when 
the  shipping  master,  who  had  been  in  search  of  him,  pop- 
ped upon  him,  seized  him,  and  carried  him  on  board.  He 
cried  and  struggled,  and  said  he  did  not  wish  to  go  in  the 
ship,  but  the  top-sails  were  at  the  mast-head,  the  fast  just 
ready  to  be  cast  off,  and  everything  in  the  hurry  and  con- 
fusion of  departure,  so  that  he  was  hardly  noticed  ; and  the 
few  who  did  inquire  about  the  matter  were  told  that  it  was 
merely  a boy  who  had  spent  his  advance  and  tried  to  run 
away.  Had  the  owners  of  the  vessel  known  anything  of 
the  matter,  they  would  have  interfered  at  once  ; but  they 
either  knew  nothing  of  it,  or  heard,  like  the  rest,  that  it 
was  only  an  unruly  boy  who  was  sick  of  his  bargain.  As 
soon  as  the  boy  found  himself  actually  at  sea,  and  upon  a 
voyage  of  two  or  three  years  in  length,  his  spirits  failed 
him  ; he  refused  to  work,  and  became  so  miserable,  that 
Captain  Arthur  took  him  into  the  cabin,  where  he  assisted 
the  steward,  and  occasionally  pulled  and  hauled  about 
decks.  He  was  in  this  capacity  when  we  saw  him  ; and 
though  it  was  much  better  for  him  than  the  life  in  a fore- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


260 

castle,  and  the  hard  work,  watching,  and  exposure,  which 
his  delicate  frame  could  not  have  borne,  yet,  to  be  joined 
with  a black  fellow  in  waiting  upon  a man  whom  he  prob- 
ably looked  upon  as  but  little,  in  point  of  education 
and  manners,  above  one  of  his  father’s  servants,  was 
almost  too  much  for  his  spirit  to  bear.  Had  he  entered 
upon  this  situation  of  his  own  free  will,  he  could  have  en- 
dured it ; but  to  have  been  deceived,  and,  in  addition  to 
that,  forced  into  it,  was  intolerable.  He  made  every  effort 
to  go  home  in  our  ship,  but  his  captain  refused  to  part 
with  him  except  in  the  way  of  exchange,  and  that  he  could 
not  effect.  If  this  account  of  the  whole  matter,  which  we 
had  from  the  boy,  and  which  was  confirmed  by  all  the 
crew,  be  correct,  I cannot  understand  why  Captain  Arthur 
should  have  refused  to  let  him  go,  especially  being  a cap- 
tain who  had  the  name,  not  only  with  that  crew,  but  with 
all  whom  he  had  ever  commanded,  of  an  unusually  kind- 
hearted  man.  The  truth  is,  the  unlimited  power  which 
merchant  captains  have,  upon  long  voyages  on  strange 
coasts,  takes  away  a sense  of  responsibility,  and  too  often, 
even  in  men  otherwise  well-disposed,  substitutes  a dis- 
regard for  the  rights  and  feelings  of  others.  The  lad  was 
sent  on  shore  to  join  the  gang  at  the  hide-house  ; from 
whence,  I was  afterwards  rejoiced  to  hear,  he  effected  his 
escape,  and  went  down  to  Callao  in  a small  Spanish 
schooner;  and  from  Callao  he  probably  returned  to 
England. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  California,  I spoke  to 
Captain  Arthur  about  Hope  ; and  as  he  had  known  him 
on  the  voyage  before,  and  was  very  fond  of  him,  he  im- 
mediately went  to  see  him,  gave  him  proper  medicines, 
and,  under  such  care,  he  began  rapidly  to  recover.  The 
Saturday  night  before  our  sailing,  I spent  an  hour  in  the 
oven,  and  took  leave  of  my  Kanaka  friends  ; and,  really, 
this  was  the  only  thing  connected  with  leaving  California 
which  was  in  any  way  unpleasant.  I felt  an  interest  and 
affection  for  many  of  these  simple,  true  hearted  men,  such 
as  I never  felt  before  but  for  a near  relation.  Hope  shook 
me  by  the  hand  ; said  he  should  soon  be  well  again,  and 
ready  to  work  for  me  when  I came  upon  the  coast,  next 
voyage,  as  officer  of  the  ship  ; and  told  me  not  to  forget 
when  I became  captain,  how  to  be  kind  to  the  sick.  Old 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


261 


“Mr.  Bingham  ” and  “King  Mannini  ” went  down  to  the 
boat  with  me,  shook  me  heartily  by  the  hand,  wished  11s  a 
good  voyage,  and  went  back  to  the  oven,  chanting  one  of 
their  deep  monotonous  songs,  the  burden  of  which  I gath- 
ered to  be  about  us  and  our  voyage. 

Sunday  May  &th.  This  promised  to  be  our  last  day  in 
California.  Our  forty  thousand  hides,  thirty  thousand 
horns,  besides  several  barrels  of  otter  and  beaver  skins, 
were  all  stowed  below,  and  the  the  hatches  calked  down. 
All  our  spare  spars  were  taken  on  board  and  lashed ; 
our  water-casks  secured;  and  our  live  stock,  consis- 
ting of  four  bullocks,  a dozen  sheep,  a dozen  or  more 
pigs,  and  three  or  four  dozen  of  poultry,  were  all  stowed 
away  in  their  different  quarters : the  bullocks  in  the 
long-boat,  the  sheep  in  a pen  on  the  forehatch,  and 
the  pigs  in  a sty  under  the  bows  of  the  long-boat, 
and  the  poultry  in  their  proper  coop,  and  the  jolly- 
boat  was  full  of  hay  for  the  sheep  and  bullocks.  Our  un- 
usually large  cargo,  together  with  the  stores  for  a five 
months’  voyage  brought  the  ship  channels  down  into  the 
water.  In  addition  to  this,  she  had  been  steeved  so 
thoroughly,  and  was  so  bound  by  the  compression  of  her 
cargo,  forced  into  her  by  so  powerful  machinery,  that  she 
was  like  a man  in  a strait  jacket,  and  would  be  but  a dull 
sailor,  until  she  had  worked  herself  loose. 

The  California  had  finished  discharging  her  cargo,  and 
was  to  get  under  weigh  at  the  same  time  with  us.  Having 
washed  down  decks  and  got  our  breakfast,  the  two  vessels 
lay  side  by  side,  in  complete  readiness  for  sea,  our  ensigns 
hanging  from  the  peaks,  and  our  tall  spars  reflected  from 
the  glassy  surface  of  the  river,  which,  since  sunrise,  had 
been  unbroken  by  a ripple.  At  length,  a few  whiffs  came 
across  the  water,  and,  by  eleven  o’clock,  the  regular  north- 
west wind  set  steadily  in.  There  was  no  need  of  calling 
all  hands,  for  we  had  all  been  hanging  about  the  forecastle 
the  whole  forenoon,  and  were  ready  for  a start  upon  the 
first  sign  of  a breeze.  All  eyes  were  aft  upon  the  captain, 
who  was  walking  the  deck,  with,  every  now  and  then,  a 
look  to  windward.  He  made  a sign  to  the  mate,  who 
came  forward,  took  his  station  deliberately  between  the 
knight-heads,  cast  a glance  aloft,  and  called  out,  “All 
hands,  lay  aloft  and  loose  the  sails ! ” We  were  half  in  the 


262 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


rigging  before  the  order  came,  and  never  since  we  left 
Boston  were  the  gaskets  off  the  yards,  and  the  rigging 
overhauled,  in  a shorter  time.  “ All  ready  forward,  sir  ! ” 
— “All  ready  the  main  ! ” — “Cross-jack  yards  all  ready, 
sir  ! ” — “ Lay  down,  all  hands  but  one  on  each  yard !” 
The  yard-arm  and  bunt  gaskets  were  cast  off;  and  each 
sail  hung  by  the  jigger,  with  one  man  standing  by  the  tie 
to  let  it  go.  At  the  same  moment  that  we  sprang  aloft,  a 
dozen  hands  sprang  into  the  rigging  of  the  California,  and 
in  an  instant  were  all  over  her  yards ; and  her  sails,  too, 
were  ready  to  be  dropped  at  the  word.  In  the  meantime 
our  bow  gun  had  been  loaded  and  run  out,  and  its  dis- 
charge was  to  be  the  signal  for  dropping  the  sails.  A 
cloud  of  smoke  came  out  of  our  bows  ; the  echoes  of  the 
gun  rattled  our  farewell  among  the  hills  of  California  ; and 
the  two  ships  were  covered,  from  head  to  foot,  with  their 
white  canvas.  For  a few  minutes,  all  was  uproar  and  ap* 
parent  confusion  ; men  flying  about  like  monkeys  in  the 
rigging;  ropes  and  blocks  flying;  orders  given  and  an- 
swered, and  the  confused  noises  of  men  singing  out  at  the 
ropes.  The  top-sails  came  to  the  mast-heads  with  “Cheer- 
ily, men  ! ”and,  in  a few  minutes,  every  sail  was  set ; for  the 
wind  was  light.  The  head  sails  were  backed,  the  wind- 
lass came  round  ‘ slip — slap’  to  the  cry  of  the  sailors ; — 
“ Hove  short,  sir,”  said  the  mate  ; — “ Up  with  him  ! ” — 
“ Aye,  aye,  sir.” — A few  hearty  and  long  heaves,  and  the 
anchor  showed  its  head.  “ Hook  cat !” — The  fall  was 
stretched  along  the  decks  ; — all  hands  laid  hold  ; “ Hur- 
rah, for  .the  last  time,”  said  the  mate ; and  the  anchor 
came  to  the  cat-head  to  the  tune  of  “ Time  for  us  to  go,” 
with  a loud  chorus.  Everything  was  done  quick,  as  though 
it  were  for  the  last  time.  The  head  yards  were  filled  away, 
and  our  ship  began  to  move  through  the  water  on  her 
homeward-bound  course. 

The  California  had  got  under  weigh  at  the  same  mo- 
ment ; and  we  sailed  down  the  narrow  bay  abreast,  and 
were  just  off  the  mouth,  and  finding  ourselves  gradually 
shooting  ahead  of  her,  were  on  the  point  of  giving  her 
three  parting  cheers,  when,  suddenly,  we  found  ourselves 
stopped  short,  and  the  California  ranging  fast  ahead  of  us. 
A bar  stretches  across  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  with 
water  enough  to  float  common  vessels,  but,  being  low  in 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  263 

the  water,  and  having  kept  well  to  leeward,  as  we  were 
bound  to  the  southward,  we  had  stuck  fast,  while  the  Cal- 
ifornia, being  light,  had  floated  over. 

We  kept  all  sail  on,  in  the  hope  of  forcing  over,  but 
failing  in  this,  we  hove  aback,  and  lay  waiting  for  the  tide, 
which  was  on  the  flood,  to  take  us  back  into  the  channel. 
This  was  somewhat  of  a damper  to  us,  and  the  captain 
looked  not  a little  mortified  and  vexed.  “This  is  the 
same  place  where  the  Rosa  got  ashore,”  observed  our  red- 
headed second  mate,  most  malapropos.  A malediction 
on  the  Rosa,  and  him  too,  was  all  the  answer  he  got,  and 
he  slunk  off  to  leeward.  In  a few  minutes,  the  force  of 
the  wind  and  the  rising  of  the  tide  backed  us  into  the 
stream,  and  we  were  on  our  way  to  our  old  anchoring-place, 
the  tide  setting  swiftly  up,  and  the  ship  barely  manage- 
able, in  the  light  breeze.  We  came-to,  in  our  old  berth, 
opposite  the  hide-house,  whose  inmates  were  not  a little 
surprised  to  see  us  return.  We  felt  as  though  we  were  tied 
to  California;  and  some  of  the  crew  swore  that  they  never 
should  get  clear  of  the  bloody  coast. 

In  about  half  an  hour,  which  was  near  high  water,  the 
order  was  given  to  man  the  windlass,  and  again  the  anchor 
was  catted ; but  not  a word  was  said  about  the  last  time. 
The  California  had  come  back  on  finding  that  we  had  re- 
turned, and  was  hove-to,  waiting  for  us,  off  the  point. 
This  time  we  passed  the  bar  safely,  and  were  soon  up  with 
the  California,  who  filled  away,  and  kept  us  company.  She 
seemed  desirous  of  a trial  of  speed,  and  our  captain  ac- 
cepted the  challenge,  although  we  were  loaded  down  to 
the  bolts  of  our  chain  plates,  as  deep  as  a sand-barge,  and 
bound  so  taught  with  our  cargo  that  we  were  no  more  fit  for 
a race  than  a man  in  fetters  ; — while  our  antagonist  was  in 
her  best  trim.  Being  clear  of  the  point,  the  breeze  became 
stiff,  and  the  royal  masts  bent  under  our  sails,  but  we 
would  not  take  them  in  until  we  saw  three  boys  spring 
aloft  into  the  rigging  of  the  California  ; when  they  were  all 
furled  at  once,  but  with  orders  to  stay  aloft  at  the  top-gal- 
lant mast-heads,  and  loose  them  again  at  the  word.  It 
was  my  duty  to  furl  the  fore  royal ; and  while  standing  by 
to  loose  it  again,  I had  a fine  view  of  the  scene.  From 
where  I stood,  the  two  vessels  seemed  nothing  but  spars 
and  sails,-  while  their  narrow  decks,  far  below,  slanting 


264  TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

over  by  the  force  of  the  wind  aloft,  appeared  hardly  capable 
of  supporting  the  great  fabrics  raised  upon  them.  The 
California  was  to  windward  of  us,  and  had  every  advan- 
tage ; yet,  while  the  breeze  was  stiff,  we  held  our  own. 
As  soon  as  it  began  to  slacken,  she  ranged  a little  ahead, 
and  the  order  was  given  to  loose  the  royals.  In  an  in 
stant  the  gaskets  were  off  and  the  bunt  dropped.  “ Sheet 
home  to  the  fore  royal ! — Weather  sheet’s  home  ! ” — “ Lee 
sheet’s  home  ! “ Hoist  away,  sir  ! ” is  bawled  from  aloft. 

“ Overhaul  your  clewlines  ! ” shouts  the  mate.  Aye,  aye, 
sir  ! all  clear  ! ” — Taught  leech ! belay  ! Well  the  lee  brace ; 
haul  taught  to  windward  ” — and  the  royals  are  set.  These 
brought  us  up  again  ; but  the  wind  continuing  light,  the 
California  set  hers,  and  it  was  soon  evident  that  she  was 
walking  away  from  us.  Our  captain  then  hailed,  and  said 
that  he  should  keep  off  to  his  course;  adding — “ She  isn’t 
the  Alert  now.  If  I had  her  in  your  trim,  she  would  have 
been  out  of  sight  by  this  time.”  This  was  good-naturedly 
answered  from  the  California,  and  she  braced  sharp  up, 
and  stood  close  upon  the  wind  up  the  coast ; while  we 
squared  away  our  yards,  and  stood  before  the  wind  to  the 
south-southwest.  The  California’s  crew  manned  her 
weather  rigging,  waved  their  hats  in  the  air,  and  gave  us 
three  hearty  cheers,  which  we  answered  as  heartily,  and 
the  customary  single  cheer  came  back  to  us  from  over  the 
water.  She  stood  on  her  way,  doomed  to  eighteen  months’ 
or  two  years’  hard  service  on  that  hated  coast,  while  we 
were  making  our  way  to  our  home,  which  every  hour  and 
every  mile  was  bringing  us  nearer  to. 

As  soon  as  we  parted  company  with  the  California,  all 
hands  were  sent  aloft  to  set  the  studding-sails.  Booms 
were  rigged  out,  tacks  and  halyards  rove,  sail  after  sail 
packed  upon  her,  until  every  available  inch  of  canvas  was 
spread,  that  we  might  not  lose  a breath  of  the  fair  wind. 
We  could  now  see  how  much  she  was  cramped  and  dead- 
ened by  her  cargo  ; for  with  a good  breeze  on  her  quarter, 
and  every  stitch  of  canvas  spread,  we  could  not  get  more 
than  six  knots  out  of  her.  She  had  no  more  life  in  her 
than  if  she  were  water-logged.  The  log  was  hove  several 
times  ; but  she  was  doing  her  best.  We  had  hardly  patience 
with  her,  but  the  older  sailors  said— “ Stand  by  ! you’ll  see 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  26^ 

her  work  herself  loose  in  a week  or  two,  and  then  she’ll 
walk  up  to  Cape  Horn  like  a race-horse.” 

When  all  sail  had  been  set,  and  the  decks  cleared  up, 
the  California  was  a speck  in  the  horizon,  and  the  coast  lay 
like  a low  cloud  along  the  northeast.  At  sunset  they  were 
both  out  of  sight,  and  we  were  once  more  upon  the  ocean, 
where  sky  and  water  meet. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

At  eight  o'clock  all  hands  were  called  aft,  and  the 
watches  set  for  the  voyage.  Some  changes  were  made  ; 
but  I was  glad  to  find  myself  still  in  the  larboard  watch. 
Our  crew  were  somewhat  diminished  ; for  a man  and  a boy 
had  gone  in  the  Pilgrim  ; another  was  second  mate  of  the 
Ayacucho  ; and  a third,  the  oldest  man  of  the  crew,  had 
broken  down  under  the  hard  work,  and  constant  exposure 
on  the  coast,  and,  having  had  a stroke  of  the  palsy,  was 
left  behind  at  the  hide-house,  under  the  charge  of  Captain 
Arthur.  The  poor  fellow  wished  very  much  to  come  home 
in  the  ship  ; and  he  aught  to  have  been  brought  home  in 
her.  But  a live  dog  is  better  than  a dead  lion,  and  a sick 
sailor  belongs  to  nobody’s  mess  ; so  he  was  sent  ashore 
with  the  rest  of  the  lumber,  which  was  only  in  the  way. 
By  these  diminutions,  we  were  short-handed  for  a voyage 

round  Cape  Horn  in  the  dead  of  winter.  Beside  S 

and  myself,  they  were  only  five  in  the  forecastle ; who,  to- 
gether with  four  boys  in  the  steerage,  the  sailmaker,  car- 
penter, etc.,  composed  the  whole  crew.  In  addition  to  this, 
we  were  only  three  or  four  days  out,  when  the  sailmaker, 
who  was  the  oldest  and  best  seaman  on  board,  was  taken 
with  the  palsy,  and  was  useless  for  the  rest  of  the  voyage. 
The  constant  wading  in  the  water,  in  all  weathers,  to  take 
off  hides,  together  with  the  other  labors,  is  too  much  for 
old  men,  and  for  any  who  have  not  good  constitutions. 
Besides  these  two  men  of  ours,  the  second  officer  of  the 
California  and  the  carpenter  of  the  Pilgrim  broke  down 
under  the  work,  and  the  latter  died  at  Santa  Barbara.  The 
young  man,  too,  who  came  out  with  us  from  Boston  in  the 
Pilgrim,  had  to  be  taken  from  his  berth  before  the  mast  and 


266 


TIYO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


made  clerk,  on  account  of  a fit  of  rheumatism  which  at- 
tacked him  soon  after  he  came  upon  the  coast.  By  the 
loss  of  the  sailmaker,  our  watch  was  reduced  to  five,  of 
whom  two  were  boys,  who  never  steered  but  in  fine  weather, 
so  that  the  other  two  and  myself  had  to  stand  at  the  wheel 
four  hours  apiece  out  of  every  twenty-four ; and  the  other 
watch  had  only  four  helmsmen.  “ Never  mind — we’re  home- 
ward bound  ! ” was  the  answer  to  everything ; and  we 
should  not  have  minded  this,  were  it  not  for  the  thought 
that  we  should  be  off  Cape  Horn  in  the  very  dead  of  winter. 
It  was  now  the  first  part  of  May;  and  two  months  would 
bring  us  off  the  Cape  in  July,  which  is  the  worst  month  in 
the  year  there  ; when  the  sun  rises  at  nine  and  sets  at  three, 
giving  eighteen  hours  night,  and  there  is  snow  and  rain, 
gales  and  high  seas,  in  abundance. 

The  prospect  of  meeting  this  in  a ship  half  manned, 
and  loaded  so  deep  that  every  heavy  sea  must  wash  her 
fore  and  aft,  was  by  no  means  pleasant.  The  Alert,  in  her 
passage  out,  doubled  the  Cape  in  the  month  of  February, 
which  is  midsummer ; and  we  came  round  in  the  Pilgrim  in 
the  latter  part  of  October,  which  we  thought  was  bad 
enough.  There  was  only  one  of  our  crew  who  had  been 
off  there  in  the  winter,  and  that  was  in  a whaleship,  much 
lighter  and  higher  than  our  ship  ; yet  he  said  they  had  man- 
killing weather  for  twenty  days  without  intermission,  and 
their  decks  were  swept  twice,  and  they  were  all  glad  enough 
to  see  the  last  of  it.  The  Brandywine  frigate,  also,  in  her 
passage  round,  had  sixty  days  off  the  Cape,  and  lost  several 
boats  by  the  heavy  seas.  All  this  was  for  our  comfort ; 
yet  pass  it  we  must ; and  all  hands  agreed  to  make  the  best 
of  it. 

During  our  watches  below  we  overhauled  our  clothes, 
and  made  and  mended  everything  for  bad  weather.  Each 
of  us  had  made  for  himself  a suit  of  oil-cloth  or  tarpaulin, 
and  these  we  got  out,  and  gave  thorough  coatings  of  oil  or 
tar,  and  hung  upon  the  stays  to  dry.  Our  stout  boots,  too, 
we  covered  over  with  a thick  mixture  of  melted  grease 
and  tar,  and  hung  out  to  dry.  Thus  we  took  advantage  oi 
the  warm  sun  and  fine  weather  of  the  Pacific  to  prepare 
for  its  other  face.  In  the  forenoon  watches  below,  our 
forecastle  looked  like  the  workshop  of  what  a sailor  is, — a 
Jack  of  all  trades.  Thick  stockings  and  d rawers  were  darn- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


26j 

and  patched ; mittens  dragged  from  the  bottom  of  the 
chest  and  mended  ; comforters  made  for  the  neck  and  ears  ; 
old  flannel  shirts  cut  up  to  line  monkey-jackets ; south- 
westers  lined  with  flannel,  and  a pot  of  paint  smuggled  for- 
ward to  give  them  a coat  on  the  outside  ; and  everything 
turned  to  hand  ; so  that,  although  two  years  had  left  us 
but  a scanty  wardrobe,  yet  the  economy  and  invention  which 
necessity  teaches  a sailor,  soon  put  each  of  us  in  pretty 
good  trim  for  bad  weather,  even  before  we  had  seen  the 
last  of  the  fine.  Even  the  cobbler’s  art  was  not  out  of 
place.  Several  old  shoes  were  very  decently  repaired,  and 
with  waxed  ends,  an  awl,  and  the  top  of  an  old  boot,  I 
made  me  quite  a respectable  sheath  for  my  knife. 

There  was  one  difficulty,  however,  nothing  that  we  could 
do  would  remedy  ; and  that  was  the  leaking  forecastle,  which 
made  it  very  uncomfortable  in  bad  weather,  and  rendered 
half  of  the  berths  tenantless.  The  tightest  ships,  in  a long 
voyage,  from  the  constant  strain  which  is  upon  the  bow- 
sprit, will  leak,  more  or  less,  round  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit, 
and  the  bits,  which  come  down  into  the  forecastle  ; but,  in 
addition  to  this,  we  had  an  unaccountable  leak  on  the  star- 
board bow,  near  the  cat-head,  which  drove  us  from  the  for- 
ward berths  on  that  side,  and,  indeed,  when  she  was  on  the 
starboard  tack,  from  all  the  forward  berths.  One  of  the 
after  berths,  too,  leaked  in  very  bad  weather ; so  that  in  a 
ship  which  was  in  other  respects  as  tight  as  a bottle,  and 
brought  her  cargo  to  Boston  perfectly  dry,  we  had  after 
every  effort  made  to  prevent  it,  in  the  way  of  calking  and 
leading,  a forecastle  with  only  three  dry  berths  for  seven 
of  us.  However,  as  there  is  never  but  one  watch  below 
at  a time,  by  “ turning  in  and  out,”  we  did  pretty  well.  And, 
there  being  in  our  watch,  but  three  of  us  who  lived  for- 
ward, we  generally  had  a dry  berth  apiece  in  bad  weather.* 

All  this,  however,  was  but  anticipation.  We  were  still 
in  fine  weather  in  the  North  Pacific,  running  down  the 
northeast  trades,  which  we  took  on  the  second  day  after 
leaving  San  Diego. 

* On  removing  the  cat-head,  after  the  ship  arrived  a Boston,  it  was 
found  that  there  were  two  holes  under  it  which  had  been  bored  for 
the  purpose  of  driving  treenails,  and  which,  accidentally,  had  not  been 
plugged  up  when  the  cat-head  was  placed  over  them.  This  was  suffi- 
cient to  account  for  the  leak,  and  for  our  not  having  been  able  to  dis- 
cover and  stop  it. 


268  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

Sunday , May  15 th,  one  week  out,  we  were  in  latitude 
140  56'  N.,  long.  1160  14'  W.,  having  gone,  by  reckoning, 
over  thirteen  hundred  miles  in  seven  days.  In  fact,  ever 
since  leaving  San  Diego  we  had  had  a fair  wind,  and  as 
much  as  we  wanted  of  it.  For  seven  days,  our  lower  and 
top-mast  studding-sails  were  set  all  the  time,  and  our  royals 
and  top-gallant  studding-sails,  whenever  she  could  stagger 
under  them.  Indeed,  the  captain  had  shown,  from  the 
moment  we  got  to  sea,  that  he  was  to  have  no  boy’s  play, 
but  that  the  ship  had  got  to  carry  all  she  could,  and  that 
he  was  going  to  make  up,  by  “ cracking  on  ” to  her,  what 
she  wanted  in  lightness.  In  this  way,  we  frequently  made 
three  degrees  of  latitude,  besides  something  in  longitude,, 
in  the  course  of  twenty-four  hours.  Our  days  wrere  spent  in 
the  usual  ship’s  work.  The  rigging  which  had  become  slack 
from  being  long  in  port  was  to  be  set  up  ; breast  backstays 
got  up  ; studding-sail  booms  rigged  upon  the  main  yard  ; 
and  royal  studding-sails  got  ready  for  the  light  trades  ; ring- 
tail set  ; and  new  rigging  fitted  and  sails  got  ready  for  Cape 
Horn.  For,  with  a ship’s  gear,  as  well  as  a sailor’s  ward- 
robe, fine  weather  must  be  improved  to  get  ready  for  the 
bad  to  come.  Our  forenoon  watch  below,  as  I have  said, 
was  given  to  our  own  work,  and  our  night  watches  were 
spent  in  the  usual  manner  : — a trick  at  the  wheel,  a look- 
out on  the  forecastle,  a nap  on  a coil  of  rigging  under  the 
lee  of  the  rail  ; a yarn  round  the  windlass-end  ; or,  as  was 
generally  my  way,  a solitary  walk  fore  and  aft,  in  the 
weather  waist,  between  the  windlass-end  and  the  main  tack. 
Every  wave  that  she  threw  aside  brought  us  nearer  home, 
and  every  day’s  observation  at  noon  showed  a progress 
which,  if  it  continued,  would,  in  less  than  five  months,  take 
us  into  Boston  Bay.  This  is  the  pleasure  of  life  at  sea, — 
fine  weather,  day  after  day,  without  interruption, — fair 
wind,  and  a plenty  of  it, — and  homeward  bound.  Every 
one  was  in  good  humor  ; things  went  right  ; and  all  was 
done  with  a will.  At  the  dog  watch,  all  hands  came  on 
deck,  and  stood  round  the  weather  side  of  the  forecastle, 
or  sat  upon  the  windlass,  and  sung  sea  songs,  and  those 
ballads  of  pirates  and  highwaymen,  which  sailors  delight 
in.  Home,  too,  and  what  we  should  do  when  we  got  there, 
and  when  and  how  we  should  arrive,  was  no  infrequent 
topic.  Every  night,  after  the  kids  and  pots  were  put  away, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


269 

and  we  had  lighted  our  pipes  and  cigars  at  the  galley, 
and  gathered  about  the  windlass,  the  first  question  was, — 
“ Well,  Tom,  what  was  the  latitude  to  day  ? ” 

“ Why,  fourteen,  north,  and  she  has  been  going  seven 
knots  ever  since.,, 

“ Well,  this  will  bring  us  up  to  the  line  in  five  days.” 

“ Yes,  but  these  trades  won’t  last  twenty-four  hours 
longer,”  says  an  old  salt,  pointing  with  the  sharp  of  his 
hand  to  leeward, — “ I know  that  by  the  look  of  the  clouds.” 
Then  came  all  manner  of  calculations  and  conjectures 
as  to  the  continuance  of  the  wind,  the  weather  under  the 
line,  the  southeast  trades,  etc.,  and  rough  guesses  as  to 
the  time  the  ship  would  be  up  with  the  Horn  ; and  some, 
more  venturous,  gave  her  so  many  days  to  Boston  light, 
and  offered  to  bet  that  she  would  not  exceed  it. 

“ You’d  better  wait  till  you  get  round  Cape  Horn,  ” 
says  an  old  croaker. 

“ Yes,”  says  another,  “ you  may  see  Boston,  but  you’ve 
got  to  “ smell  hell  ” before  that  good  day.” 

Rumors  also  of  what  had  been  said  in  the  cabin,  as 
usual,  found  their  way  forward.  The  steward  had  heard 
the  captain  say  something  about  the  straits  of  Magellan, 
and  the  man  at^  the  wheel  fancied  he  had  heard  him  tell 
the  “ passenger  ” that,  if  he  found  the  wind  ahead  and  the 
weather  very  bad  off  the  Cape  he  should  stick  her  off  for 
New  Holland,  and  come  home  round  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope. 

This  passenger — the  first  and  only  one  we  had  had, 
except  to  go  from  port  to  port  on  the  coast,  was  no  one 
else  than  a gentleman  whom  I had  known  in  my  better 
days  ; and  the  last  person  I should  have  expected  to  hav 

seen  on  the  coast  of  California — Professor  N , of  Can> 

bridge.  I had  left  him  quietly  seated  in  the  chair  of  Bot- 
any and  Ornithology,  in  Harvard  University  ; and  the  next 
I saw  of  him,  was  strolling  about  San  Diego  beach,  in 
a sailor’s  pea-jacket,  with  a wide  straw  hat,  and  barefooted, 
with  his  trowsers  rolled  up  to  his  knees,  picking  up  stones 
and  shells.  He  had  travelled  over  land  to  the  Northwest 
Coast,  and  come  down  in  a small  vessel  to  Monterey.  There 
he  learned  that  there  was  a ship  at  the  leeward,  about  to 
to  sail  for  Boston  ; and,  taking  passage  in  the  Pilgrim, 
which  was  then  at  Monterey,  he  came  slowly  down,  visit- 


2 70 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


ing  the  intermediate  ports,  and  examining  the  trees,  plants, 
earths,  birds,  etc.,  and  joined  us  at  San  Diego  shortly  be- 
for  we  sailed.  The  second  mate  of  the  Pilgrim  told  me 
that  they  had  got  an  old  gentleman  on  board  who  knew 
me,  and  came  from  the  college  that  I had  been  in.  He 
could  not  recollect  his  name,  but  said  he  was  a “ sort  of  an 
oldish  man,”  with  white  hair,  and  spent  all  his  time  in  the 
bush,  and  along  the  beach,  picking  up  flowers  and  shells, 
and  such  truck,  and  had  a dozen  boxes  and  barrels,  full  of 
them.  I thought  over  everybody  who  would  be  likely  to 
be  there,  but  could  fix  upon  no  one  ; when,  the  next  day, 
just  as  we  were  about  to  shove  off  from  the  beach,  he  came 
down  to  the  boat,  in  the  rig  I have  described,  with  his 
shoes  in  his  hand,  and  his  pockets  full  of  specimens.  I 
knew  him  at  once,  though  I should  not  have  been  more 
surprised  to  have  seen  the  Old  South  steeple  shoot  up 
from  the  hide-house.  He  probably  had  no  less  difficulty 
in  recognizing  me.  As  we  left  home  about  the  same  time, 
we  had  nothing  to  tell  one  another  ; and  owing  to  our  dif- 
ferent situations  on  board,  I saw  but  little  of  him  on  the 
passage  home.  Sometimes,  when  I was  at  the  wheel  of  a 
calm  night,  and  the  steering  required  no  attention,  and  the 
officer  of  the  watch  was  forward,  he  would  come  aft  and 
hold  a short  yarn  with  me  ; but  this  was  against  the  rules 
of  the  ship,  as  is,  in  fact,  all  intercourse  between  passen- 
gers and  the  crew.  I was  often  amused  to  see  the  sailors 
puzzled  to  know  what  to  make  of  him,  and  to  hear  their 
conjectures  about  him  and  his  business.  They  were  as  much 
puzzled  as  our  old  sailmaker  was  with  the  captain's  instru- 
ments in  the  cabin.  He  said  there  were  three  : — the  Chro - 
nomter,  the  chre-nometer,  and  the  the- nometer,  (Chrono- 
meter, barometer,  and  thermometer.)  The  Pilgrim’s  crew 
christened  Mr.  N.  “ Old  Curious,”  from  his  zeal  for  curi- 
osities, and  some  of  them  said  that  he  was  crazy,  and  that 
his  friends  let  him  go  about  and  amuse  himself  in  this  way. 
Why  else  a rich  man  (sailors  call  every  man  rich  who  does 
not  work  with  his  hands,  and  wears  a long  coat  and  cravat) 
should  leave  a Christian  country,  and  come  to  such  a place 
as  California,  to  pick  up  shells  and  stones,  they  could  not 
understand.  One  of  them,  however,  an  old  salt,  who  had 
seen  something  more  of  the  world  ashore,  set  all  to  rights, 
as  he  thought, — “ Oh,  ’vast  there  !— You  don’t  know  any- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


27  i 

thing  about  them  craft.  I’ve  seen  them  colleges,  and  know 
the  ropes.  They  keep  all  such  things  for  curiosities,  and 
study  ’em,  and  have  men  a’  purpose  to  go  and  get  ’em. 
This  old  chap  knows  what  he ’s  about.  He  a’n’t  the  child 
you  take  him  for.  He’ll  carry  all  these  things  to  the  col- 
lege, and  if  they  are  better  than  any  that  they  have  had 
before,  he  ’ll  be  head  of  the  college.  Then,  by-and-by, 
somebody  else  will  go  after  some  more,  and  if  they  beat 
him,  he  ’ll  have  to  go  again,  or  else  give  up  his  berth. 
That’s  the  way  they  do  it.  This  old  covey  knows  the  ropes. 
He  has  worked  a traverse  over  ’em,  and  come  ’way  out 
here,  where  nobody’s  ever  been  afore,  and  where  they’ll 
never  think  of  coming.”  This  explanation  satisfied  Jack  ; 
and  as  it  raised  Mr.  N.’s  credit  for  capacity,  and  was  near 
enough  to  the  truth  for  common  purposes,  I did  not  dis- 
turb it. 

With  the  exception  of  Mr.  N.,  we  had  no  one  on  board 
but  the  regular  ship’s  company,  and  the  live  stock.  Upon 
this  we  had  made  a considerable  inroad.  We  killed  one 
of  the  bullocks  every  four  days,  so  that  they  did  not  last 
us  up  to  the  line.  We,  or,  rather,  they,  then  began  upon 
the  sheep  and  the  poultry,  for  these  never  came  into 
Jack’s  mess.*  The  pigs  were  for  the  latter  part  of  the 

* The  custom  as  to  the  allowance  of  “ grub  ” are  very  nearly  the 
same  in  all  American  merchantmen.  Whenever  a pig  is  killed,  the 
sailors  have  one  mess  from  it.  The  rest  goes  to  the  cabin.  The 
smaller  live  stock,  poultry,  etc.,  they  never  taste.  And,  indeed,  they 
do  not  complain  of  this,  for  it  would  take  a great  deal  to  supply  them 
with  a good  meal,  and  without  the  accompaniments,  (which  could 
hardly  be  furnished  to  them,)  it  would  hardly  be  much  better  than  salt 
beef.  But  even  as  to  the  salt  beef,  they  are  scarcely  dealt  fairly  with  ; 
for  whenever  a barrel  is  opened,  before  any  of  the  beef  is  put  into  the 
harness-cask,  the  steward  comes  up,  and  picks  it  all  over,  and  takes 
out  the  best  pieces,  (those  that  have  any  fat  in  them)  for  the  cabin. 
This  was  done  in  both  the  vessels  I was  in,  and  the  men  said  it  was 
usual  in  other  vessels.  Indeed,  it  is  made  no  secret,  but  some  of  the 
crew  are  usually  called  to  help  in  assorting  and  putting  away  the 
pieces.  By  this  arrangement,  the  hard,  dry  pieces,  which  the  sailors 
call  u old  horse,”  come  to  their  share. 

There  is  a singular  piece  of  rhyme,  traditional  among  sailors,  which 
they  say  over  such  pieces  of  beef.  I do  not  know  that  it  ever  appeared 
in  print  before.  When  seated  round  the  kid,  if  a particularly  bad 
piece  is  found,  one  of  them  takes  it  up,  and  addressing  it,  repeats 
these  lines  ; 

“ Old  horse  I old  horse  ! what  brought  you  here  ? * 

From  Sacarap’  to  Portland  pier 


272 


7 WO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


voyage,  for  they  are  sailors,  and  can  stand  all  weathers. 
We  had  an  old  sow  on  board,  the  mother  of  a numerous 
progeny,  who  had  been  twice  round  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  once  round  Cape  Horn.  The  last  time  going 
round,  was  very  nearly  her  death.  We  heard  her  squealing 
and  moaning  one  dark  night,  after  it  had  been  snowing 
and  hailing  for  several  hours,  and,  getting  into  the  sty,  we 
found  her  nearly  frozen  to  death.  We  got  some  straw,  an 
old  sail,  and  other  things,  and  wrapped  her  up  in  a corner 
of  the  sty,  where  she  staid  until  we  got  into  fine  weather 
again. 

Wednesday,  May  1 8th.  Lat.  90  54'  N.,  long.  1130 
17'  W.  The  north-east  trades  had  now  left  us,  and  we 
had  the  usual  variable  winds  which  prevail  near  the  line, 
together  with  some  rain.  So  long  as  we  were  in  these 
latitudes,  we  had  but  little  rest  in  our  watch  on  deck  at 
night,  for,  as  the  winds  were  light  and  variable,  and  we 
could  not  lose  a breath,  we  were  all  the  watch  bracing  the 
yards,  and  taking  in  and  making  sail,  and  ‘ humbugging’ 
with  our  flying  kites.  A little  puff  of  wind  on  the  larboard 
quarter,  and  then  “ larboard  fore  braces  !”  * and  studding 
booms  were  rigged  out,  studding-sails  set  alow  and  aloft, 
the  yards  trimmed,  and  jib  and  spanker  in  ; when  it  would 
come  as  calm  as  a duck-pond,  and  the  man  at  the  wheel 
standing  with  the  palm  of  his  hand  up,  feeling  for  the 
wind.  “ Keep  her  off  a little  ! ” “ All  aback  forward, 

sir  !”  cries  a man  from  the  forecastle.  Down  go  the 
braces  again ; in  come  the  studding-sails,  all  in  a mess, 
which  half  an  hour  won’t  set  right ; yards  braced  sharp 

I’ve  carted  stone  this  many  a year  : 

Till,  killed  by  blows  and  sore  abuse, 

They  salted  me  down  for  sailors*  use. 

The  sailors  they  do  me  despise  : 

They  turn  me  over  and  damn  my  eyes ; 

Cut  off  my  meat,  and  pick  my  bones, 

And  pitch  the  rest  to  Davy  Jones.*  ” 

There  is  a story  current  among  seamen,  that  a beef-dealer  was 
convicted  at  Boston,  of  having  sold  old  horse  for  ship’s  stores,  instead 
of  beef,  and  had  been  sentenced  to  be  confined  in  jail,  until  he  should 
eat  the  whole  of  it  ; and  that  he  is  now  lying  in  Boston  jail.  I have 
heard  this  story  often  on  board  other  vessels  beside  those  of  our  own 
nation.  It  is  very  generally  believed,  and  is  always  highly  commend 
ed,  as  a fair  instance  of  retaliatory  justice. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


*73 

up ; and  she's  on  the  starboard  tack,  close  hauled.  The 
studding-sails  must  now  be  cleared  away,  and  set  up  in  the 
tops,  and  on  the  booms.  By  the  time  this  is  done,  and 
you  are  looking  out  for  a soft  plank  for  a nap, — “ Lay  aft 
here,  and  square  in  the  head  yards !”  and  the  studding- 
sails  are  all  set  again  on  the  starboard  side.  So  it  goes 
until  it  is  eight  bells, — call  the  watch, — heave  the  log, — 
relieve  the  wheel,  and  go  below  the  larboard  watch. 

Sunday,  May  22nd . Lat.  50  14  N.,  long.  1660  45'  W. 
We  were  now  a fortnight  out,  and  within  five  degrees  of 
the  line,  to  which  two  days  of  good  breeze  would  take  us ; 
but  we  had  for  the  most  part,  what  the  sailors  call  4 an 
Irishman's  hurricane, — right  up  and  down.’  This  day  it 
rained  nearly  all  day,  and  being  Sunday,  and  nothing  to 
do,  we  stopped  up  the  scuppers  and  filled  the  decks  with 
rain  water,  and  bringing  all  our  clothes  on  deck,  had  a 
grand  wash,  fore  and  aft.  When  this  was  through,  we 
stripped,  to  our  drawers,  and  taking  pieces  of  soap,  with 
strips  of  canvas  for  towels,  we  turned  to  and  soaped, 
washed,  and  scrubbed  one  another  down,  to  get  off,  as  we 
said,  the  California  dust  ; for  the  common  wash  in  salt 
water,  which  is  all  that  Jack  can  get,  being  on  an  allow- 
ance of  fresh,  had  little  efficacy,  and  was  more  for  taste 
than  utility.  The  captain  was  below  all  the  afternoon, 
and  we  had  something  nearer  to  a Saturnalia  than  any- 
thing we  had  yet  seen ; for  the  mate  came  into  the  scuppers, 
with  a couple  of  boys  to  scrub  him,  and  got  into  a battle 
with  them  in  heaving  water.  By  unplugging  the  holes,  we 
let  the  soap-suds  off  the  decks,  and  in  a short  time  had  a 
new  supply  of  rain  water,  in  which  we  had  a grand  rinsing. 
It  was  surprising  to  see  how  much  soap  and  fresh  water 
did  for  the  complexions  of  many  of  us  ; how  much  of  what 
we  supposed  to  be  tan  and  sea-blacking,  we  got  rid  of. 
The  next  day,  the  sun  rising  clear,  the  ship  was  covered, 
fore  and  aft,  with  clothes  of  all  sorts,  hanging  out  to  dry. 

As  we  approached  the  line,  the  wind  became  more 
easterly,  and  the  weather  clearer,  and  in  twenty  days  from 
San  Diego, — 

Saturday , May  28 th,  at  about  three  P.M.,  with  a fine 
breeze  from  the  east-south-east,  we  crossed  the  equator. 
In  twenty-four  hours  after  crossing  the  line,  which  was 
very  unusual,  we  took  the  regular  south-east  trades.  These 


*74 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


winds  come  a little  from  the  eastward  of  south-east,  and, 
with  us,  they  blew  directly  from  the  east-south-east,  which 
was  fortunate  for  us,  for  our  course  was  south-by-west,  and 
we  could  thus  go  one  point  free.  The  yards  were  braced 
so  that  every  sail  drew,  from  the  spanker  to  the  flying-jib ; 
and  the  upper  yards  being  squared  in  a little,  the  fore  and 
main  top-gallant  studding-sails  were  set,  and  just  drew 
handsomely.  For  twelve  days  this  breeze  blew  steadily, 
not  varying  a point,  and  just  so  fresh  that  we  could  carry 
our  royals ; and,  during  the  whole  time,  we  hardly  started 
a brace.  Such  progress  did  we  make,  that  at  the  end  of 
seven  days  from  the  time  we  took  the  breeze,  on 

Sunday,  June  $th,  we  were  in  lat.  190  29 ' S.,  and  long. 
ii80oi'  W.,  having  made  twelve  hundred  miles  in  seven 
days,  very  nearly  upon  a taught  bowline.  Our  good  ship 
was  getting  to  be  herself  again,  had  increased  her  rate  of 
sailing  more  than  one  third  since  leaving  San  Diego.  The 
crew  ceased  complaining  of  her,  and  the  officers  hove  the 
log  every  two  hours  with  evident  satisfaction.  This  was 
glorious  sailing.  . A steady  breeze  ; the  light  trade-wind 
clouds  over  our  heads ; the  incomparable  temperature  of 
the  Pacific, — neither  hot  nor  cold  ; a clear  sun  every  day, 
and  clear  moon  and  stars  each  night ; and  new  constella- 
tions rising  in  the  south,  and  the  familiar  ones  sinking  in 
the  norths  as  we  went  on  our  course, — “ stemming  nightly 
toward  the  pole.,,  Already  we  had  sunk  the  north  star 
and  the  Great  Bear  in  the  northern  horizon,  and  all  hands 
looked  out  sharp  to  the  southward  for  the  Magellan  Clouds, 
which,  each  succeeding  night,  we  expected  to  make. 
“ The  next  time  we  see  the  north  star,”  said  one,  “ we 
shall  be  standing  to  the  northward,  the  other  side  of  the 
Horn.”  This  was  true  enough,  and  no  doubt  it  would  be 
a welcome  sight ; for  sailors  say  that  in  coming  home  from 
round  Cape  Horn,  and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the  north 
star  is  the  first  land  you  make. 

These  trades  were  the  same  that,  in  the  passage  out  in 
the  Pilgrim,  lasted  nearly  all  the  way  from  Juan  Fernandez 
to  the  line  ; blowing  steadily  on  our  starboard  quarter  for 
three  weeks,  without  our  starting  a brace,  or  even  brailing 
down  the  sky-sails.  Though  we  had  now  the  same  wind, 
and  were  in  the  same  latitude  with  the  Pilgrim  on  her  pas- 
sage out,  yet  we  were  nearly  twelve  hundred  miles  to  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


27S 


westward  of  her  course  ; for  the  captain,  depending  upon 
the  strong  southwest  winds  which  prevail  in  high  southern 
latitudes  during  the  winter  months,  took  the  full  advantage 
of  the  trades,  and  stood  well  to  the  westward,  so  far  that 
we  passed  within  about  two  hundred  miles  of  Ducie’s 
Island. 

It  was  this  weather  and  sailing  that  brought  to  my  mind 
a little  incident  that  occurred  on  board  the  Pilgrim,  while 
we  were  in  the  same  latitude.  We  were  going  along  at  a 
great  rate,  dead  before  the  wind,  with  studding-sails  out  on 
both  sides,  alow  and  aloft,  on  a dark  night,  just  after  mid- 
night, and  everything  as  still  as  the  grave,  except  the  wash- 
ing of  the  water  by  the  vessel’s  side: ; for,  being  before  the 
wind,  with  a smooth  sea,  the  little  brig,  covered  with 
canvas,  was  doing  great  business,  with  very  little  noise. 
The  other  watch  was  below,  and  all  our  watch,  except  my- 
self and  the  man  at  the  wheel,  were  asleep  under  the  lee 
of  the  boat.  The  second  mate,  who  came  out  before  the 
mast,  and  was  always  very  thick  with  me,  had  been  hold- 
ing a yarn  with  me,  and  just  gone  aft  to  his  place  on  the 
quarter-deck,  and  I had  resumed  my  usual  walk  to  and  from 
the  windlass-end,  when,  suddenly,  we  heard  a loud  scream 
coming  from  ahead,  apparently  directly  from  under  the 
bows.  The  darkness,  and  complete  stillness  of  the  night, 
and  the  solitude  of  the  ocean,  gave  to  the  sound  a dreadful 
and  almost  supernatural  effect.  I stood  perfectly  still,  and 
my  heart  beat  quick.  The  sound  woke  up  the  rest  of  the 
watch,  who  stood  looking  at  one  another.  “ What,  in  the 
name  of  God,  is  that  ? ” said  the  second  mate,  coming 
slowly  forward.  The  first  thought  I had  was,  that  it  might 
be  a boat,  with  the  crew  of  some  wrecked  vessel,  or  per- 
haps the  boat  of  some  whale-ship,  out  over  night,  and  we 
had  run  them  down  in  the  darkness.  Another  scream  ! 
but  less  loud  than  the  first.  This  started  us,  and  we  ran 
forward,  and  looked  over  the  bows,  and  over  the  sides  to 
leeward,  but  nothing  was  to  be  seen  or  heard.  What  was 
to  be  done  ? Call  the  captain,  and  heave  the  ship  aback  ? 
Just  at  this  moment,  in  crossing  the  forecastle,  one  of  the 
men  saw  a light  below,  and  looking  down  the  scuttle,  saw 
the  watch  all  out  of  their  berths,  afoul  of  one  poor  fellow, 
dragging  him  out  of  his  berth,  and  shaking  him,  to  wake 
him  out  of  a nightmare.  They  had  been  waked  out  of  their 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


276 

sleep,  and  as  much  alarmed  at  the  scream  as  vve  were,  and 
were  hesitating  whether  to  come  on  deck,  when  the  second 
sound  coming  directly  from  one  of  the  berths,  revealed  the 
cause  of  the  alarm.  The  fellow  got  a good  shaking  for  the 
trouble  he  had  given.  We  made  a joke  of  the  matter  ; and 
we  could  well  laugh,  for  our  minds  were  not  a little  relieved 
by  its  ridiculous  termination. 

We  were  now  close  upon  the  southern  tropical  line, 
and,  with  so  fine  a breeze,  were  daily  leaving  the  sun  be- 
hind us,  and  drawing  nearer  to  Cape  Horn,  for  which  it 
behoved  us  to  make  every  preparation.  Our  rigging  was 
all  examined  and  overhauled,  and  mended,  or  replaced  with 
new,  where  it  was  necessary : new  and  strong  bobstays 
fitted  in  the  place  of  the  chain  ones,  which  were  worn  out ; 
the  sprit-sail  yard  and  martingale  guys  and  back-ropes  set 
well  taught ; bran  new  fore  and  main  braces  rove  ; top- 
gallant sheets,  and  wheel-ropes,  made  of  green  hide,  laid 
up  in  the  form  of  rope,  were  stretched  and  fitted;  and  new 
top-sail  clewlines,  etc.,  rove  ; new  fore  top-mast  back-stays 
fitted ; and  other  preparations  made  in  good  season,  that 
the  ropes  might  have  time  to  stretch  and  become  limber 
before  we  got  into  cold  weather. 

Sunday,  June  12 th.  Lat.  26°  04'  S.,  long.  1160  3 1' 
W.  We  had  now  lost  the  regular  trades,  and  had  the  winds 
variable,  principally  from  the  westward,  and  kept  on,  in  a 
southerly  course,  sailing  very  nearly  upon  a meridian,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  week, — 

Sunday , June  iqth,  were  in  lat.  340  15/  S.,  and  long. 
1160  38'  W. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

There  began  now  to  be  a decided  change  in  the 
appearance  of  things.  The  days  became  shorter  and 
shorter;  the  sun  running  lower  in  its  course  each  day, 
and  giving  less  and  less  heat ; and  the  nights  so  cold 
as  to  prevent  our  sleeping  on  deck ; the  Magellan 
Clouds  in  sight,  of  a clear  night ; the  skies  looking  cold 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


277 


and  angry;  and,  at  times,  a long,  heavy,  ugly  sea,  setting 
in  from  the  southward,  told  us  what  we  were  coming  to. 
Still,  however,  we  had  a fine,  strong  breeze,  and  kept  on 
our  way,  under  as  much  sail  as  our  ship  would  bear.  To- 
ward the  middle  of  the  week,  the  wind  hauled  to  the 
southward,  which  brought  us  upon  a taught  bowline,  made 
the  sheep  meet,  nearly  head-on,  the  heavy  swell  which 
rolled  from  that  direction  ; and  there  was  something  not  at 
all  encouraging  in  the  manner  in  which  she  met  it.  Being 
so  deep  and  heavy,  she  wanted  the  buoyancy  which  should 
have  carried  her  over  the  seas,  and  she  dropped  heavily 
into  them,  the  water  washing  over  the  decks;  and  every 
now  and  then,  when  an  unusually  large  sea  met  her  fairly 
upon  the  bows,  she  struck  it  with  a sound  as  dead  and 
heavy  as  that  with  which  a sledge-hammer  falls  upon  the 
pile,  and  took  the  whole  of  it  in  upon  the  forecastle,  and 
rising,  carried  it  aft  in  the  scuppers,  washing  the  rigging  off 
the  pins,  and  carrying  along  with  it  everything  which  was 
loose  on  deck.  She  had  been  acting  in  this  way  all  of  our 
forenoon  watch  below ; as  we  could  tell  by  the  washing  of 
the  water  over  our  heads,  and  the  heavy  breaking  of  the 
seas  against  her  bows  (with  a sound  as  though  she  were 
striking  against  a rock),  only  the  thickness  of  the  plank 
from  our  heads,  as  we  lay  in  our  berths,  which  are 
directly  against  the  bows.  At  eight  bells,  the  watch  was 
called,  and  we  came  on  deck,  one  hand  going  aft  to  take 
the  wheel,  and  another  going  to  the  galley  to  get  the  grub 
for  dinner.  I stood  on  the  forecastle,  looking  at  the  seas, 
which  were  rolling  high,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
heir  tops  white  with  foam,  and  the  body  of  them  of  a deep 
ndigo  blue,  reflecting  the  bright  rays  of  the  sun.  Our 
diip.rose  slowly  over  a few  of  the  largest  of  them,  until 
one  immense  fellow  came  rolling  on,  threatening  to  cover 
ier,  and  which  I was  sailor  enough  to  know  by  “ the  feei- 
ng of  her  ” under  my  feet,  she  would  not  rise  over.  I 
sprang  upon  the  knight-heads,  and  seizing  hold  of  the  fore* 
siay  with  my  hands,  drew  myself  up  upon  it.  My  feet 
were  just  off  the  stanchion,  when  she  struck  fairly  into  the 
middle  of  the  sea,  and  it  washed  her  fore  and  aft,  burying 
her  in  the  water.  As  soon  as  she  rose  out  of  it,  I looked 
aft,  and  everything  forward  of  the  main-mast,  except  the 
’ong-boat,  which  was  griped  and  double-lashed  down  to 


278  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

the  ring-bolts,  was  swept  off  clear.  The  galley,  the  pig- 
sty, the  hen-coop,  and  a large  sheep-pen  which  had  been 
built  upon  the  fore-hatch,  were  all  gone,  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye — leaving  the  deck  as  clean  as  a chin  new-reaped 
— and  not  a stick  left,  to  show  where  they  had  stood.  In 
the  scuppers  lay  the  galley,  bottom  up,  and  a few  boards 
floating  about, — the  wreck  of  the  sheep-pen, — and  half  a 
dozen  miserable  sheep  floating  among  them,  wet  through, 
and  not  a little  frightened  at  the  sudden  change  that  had 
come  upon  them.  As  soon  as  the  sea  had  washed  by,  all 
hands  sprung  up  out  of  the  forecastle  to  see  what  had  be- 
come of  the  ship  ; and  in  a few  moments  the  cook  and  Old 
Bill  crawled  out  from  under  the  galley,  where  they  had  been 
lying  in  the  water,  nearly  smothered,  with  the  galley  over 
them.  Fortunately,  it  rested  against  the  bulwarks,  or  it 
would  have  broken  some  of  their  bones.  When  the  water 
ran  off,  we  picked  the  sheep  up,  and  put  them  in  the  long- 
boat, got  the  galley  back  in  its  place,  and  set  things  a little 
to  rights  ; but,  had  not  our  ship  had  uncommonly  high  bul- 
warks and  rail,  everything  must  have  been  washed  over- 
board, not  excepting  Old  Bill  and  the  cook.  Bill  had  been 
standing  at  the  galley-door,  with  the  kid  of  beef  in  his 
hand  for  the  forecastle  mess,  when,  away  he  went,  kid, 
beef,  and  all.  He  held  on  to  the  kid  till  the  last,  like  a 
good  fellow,  but  the  beef  was  gone,  and  when  the  water 
had  run  off,  we  saw  it  lying  high  and  dry,  like  a rock  at 
low  tide — nothing  could  hurt  that.  We  took  the  loss  of 
our  beef  very  easily,  consoling  ourselves  with  the  recol- 
lection that  the  cabin  had  more  to  lose  than  we ; and 
chuckled  not  a little  at  seeing  the  remains  of  the  chicken- 
pie  and  pancakes  floating  in  the  scuppers.  “ This  will 
never  do  ! ” was  what  some  said,  and  every  one  felt. 
Here  we  were,  not  yet  within  a thousand  miles  of  the  lati- 
tude of  Cape  Horn,  and  our  decks  swept  by  a sea,  not  one- 
half  so  high  as  we  must  expect  to  find  there.  Some 
blamed  the  captain  for  loading  his  ship  so  deep,  when  he 
knew  what  he  must  expect ; while  others  said  that  the 
wind  was  always  southwest,  off  the  Cape,  in  the  winter; 
and  that,  running  before  it,  we  should  not  mind  the  seas  so 
much.  When  we  got  down  into  the  forecastle,  Old  Bill, 
who  was  somewhat  of  a croaker, — having  met  with  a great 
many  accidents  at  sea — said  that  if  that  was  the  way  she 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


279 


was  going  to  act,  we  might  as  well  make  our  wills,  and  bal- 
ance the  books  at  once,  and  put  on  a clean  shirt.  “ ’Vast 
there,  you  bloody  old  owl  ! you’re  always  hanging  out  blue 
lights  ! You’re  frightened  by  the  ducking  you  got  in  the 
scuppers,  and  can’t  take  a joke  ! What’s  the  use  in  being 
always  on  the  look-out  for  Davy  Jones  ? ” “ Stand  by  ! ” 
says  another,  “ and  we’ll  get  an  afternoon  watch  below,  by 
this  scrape  ; ” but  in  this  they  were  disappointed,  for  at 
two  bells,  all  hands  were  called  and  set  to  work,  getting 
lashings  upon  everything  on  deck ; and  the  captain  talked 
of  sending  down  the  long  top-gallant  masts  ; but,  as  the 
sea  went  down  toward  night,  and  the  wind  hauled  abeam, 
we  left  them  standing,  and  set  the  studding-sails. 

The  next  day,  all  hands  were  turned-to  upon  unbending 
the  old  sails,  and  getting  up  the  new  ones  ; for  a ship,  un- 
like people  on  shore,  puts  on  her  best  suit  in  bad  weather. 
The  old  sails  were  sent  down,  and  three  new  top-sails,  and 
new  fore  and  main  courses,  jib,  and  fore  top-mast  stay-sail, 
which  were  made  on  the  coast,  and  never  had  been  used, 
were  bent,  with  a complete  set  of  new  earings,  robands  and 
reef-points  ; and  reef-tackles  were  rove  to  the  courses,  and 
spilling-lines  to  the  top-sails.  These,  with  new  braces  and 
clewlines,  fore  and  aft,  gave  us  a good  suit  of  running  rig- 

The  wind  continued  westerly,  and  the  weather  and 
sea  less  rough  since  the  day  on  which  we  shipped  the 
the  heavy  sea,  and  we  were  making  great  progress  under 
studding-sails,  with  our  light  sails  all  set,  keeping  a little 
to  the  eastward  of  south ; for  the  captain,  depending  upon 
westerly  winds  off  the  Cape,  had  kept  so  far  to  the  west- 
ward, that,  though  we  were  within  about  five  hundred 
miles  of  the  latitude  of  Cape  Horn,  we  were  nearly  seven- 
teen hundred  miles  to  the  westward  of  it.  Through  the 
rest  of  the  week,  we  continued  on  with  a fair  wind,  grad- 
ually, as  we  got  more  to  the  southward,  keeping  a more 
easterly  course,  and  bringing  the  wind  on  our  larboard 
quarter,  until — 

Sunday,  June  2 6th  ; when,  having  a fine,  clear  day,  the 
captain  got  a lunar  observation,  as  well  as  his  meridian 
altitude,  which  made  us  in  lat.  470  50  S.,  long.  1130  49 
W. ; Cape  Horn  bearing,  according  to  my  calculation, 
E.  S.  E,  i E.,  and  distant  eighteen  hundred  miles. 


280  TWO  years  before  the  mast. 

Monday , June  26 th.  During  the  first  part  of  this  day, 
the  wind  continued  fair,  and,  as  we  were  going  before  it,  it 
did  not  feel  very  cold  so  that  we  kept  at  work  on  deck,  in 
our  common  clothes  and  round  jackets.  Our  watch  had 
an  afternoon  watch  below,  for  the  first  time  since  leaving 
San  Diego,  and  having  inquired  of  the  third  mate  what  the 
latitude  was  at  noon,  and  made  our  usual  guesses  as  to  the 
time  she  would  need,  to  be  up  with  the  Horn,  we  turned- 
in,  for  a nap.  We  were  sleeping  away  “ at  the  rate  of 
knots/’  when  three  knocks  on  the  scuttle,  and  “ All  hands, 
ahoy  ! ” started  us  from  our  berths.  What  could  be  the 
matter  ? It  did  not  appear  to  be  blowing  hard,  and  look- 
ing up  through  the  scuttle,  we  could  see  that  it  was  a clear 
day,  overhead ; yet  the  watch  was  taking  in  sail.  We 
thought  there  must  be  a sail  in  sight,  and  that  we  were 
about  to  heave-to  and  speak  her;  and  were  just  congratu- 
lating ourselves  upon  it — for  we  had  seen  neither  sail  nor 
land  since  we  left  port — when  we  heard  the  mate’s  voice  on 
deck,  ( he  turned-in  “ all  standing,”  and  was  always  on  deck 
the  moment  he  was  called),  singing  out  to  the  men  who 
were  taking  in  the  studding-sails,  and  asking  where  his 
watch  were.  We  did  not  wait  for  a second  call,  but  tum- 
bled up  the  ladder ; and  there,  on  the  starboard  bow,  was 
a bank  of  mist,  covering  sea  and  sky,  and  driving  directly 
for  us.  I had  seen  the  same  before,  in  my  passage  round 
in  the  Pilgrim,  and  knew  what  it  meant,  and  that  there 
was  no  time  to  be  lost.  We  had  nothing  on  but  thin 
clothes,  yet  there  was  not  a moment  to  spare,  and  at  it 
we  went. 

The  boys  of  the  other  watch  were  in  the  tops,  taking 
in  the  top-gallant  studding  sails,  and  the  lower  and  top- 
mast studding-sails,  were  coming  down  by  the  run.  It  was 
nothing  but  “ haul  dawn  and  clew  up,”  until  we  got  all  the 
studding-sails  in,  and  the  royals,  flying-jib,  and  the  mizen 
top-gallant  sail  furled,  and  the  ship  kept  off  a little,  to  take 
the  squall.  The  fore  and  main  top-gallant  sails  were  still 
on  her.  for  the  “ old  man  ” did  not  mean  to  be  frightened 
in  broad  daylight,  and  was  determined  to  carry  sail  till  the 
last  minute.  We  all  stood  waiting  for  its  coming,  when 
the  first  blast  showed  us  that  it  was  not  to  be  trifled  with. 
Rain,  sleet,  snow,  and  wind,  enough  to  take  our  breath  from 
us,  and  make  the  toughest  turn  his  back  to  windward 1 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  281 

The  ship  lay  nearly  over  on  her  beam-ends ; the  spars  and 
rigging  snapped  and  cracked ; and  her  top-gallant  masts 
bent  like  whip-sticks.  “ Clew  up  the  fore  and  main  top- 
gallant sails ! ” shouted  the  captain,  and  all  hands  sprang 
to  the  clewlines.  The  decks  were  standing  nearly  at  an 
angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  and  the  ship  going  like  a mad 
steed  through  the  water,  the  whole  forward  part  of  her  in 
a smother  of  foam.  The  halyards  were  let  go  and  the  yard 
clewed  down,  and  the  sheets  started,  and  in  a few  minutes 
the  sails  smothered  and  kept  in  by  the  clewlines  and  the 
buntlines. — “Furl  ’em,  sir  ? ” asked  the  mate.— “ Let  go 
the  top-sail  halyards,  fore  and  aft ! ” shouted  the  captain, 
in  answer,  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  Down  came  the  top- 
sail yards,  the  reef-tackles  were  manned  and  hauled  out, 
and  we  climbed  up  to  windward,  and  sprang  into  the 
weather  rigging.  The  violence  of  the  wind,  and  the  hail 
and  sleet,  driving  nearly  horizontally  across  the  ocean, 
seemed  actually  to  pin  us  down  to  the  rigging.  It  was 
hard  work  making  head  against  them.  One  after  another, 
we  got  out  upon  the  yards.  And  here  we  had  work  to  do ; 
for  our  new  sails,  which  had  hardly  been  bent  long  enough 
to  get  the  starch  out  of  them,  were  as  stiff  as  boards,  and 
the  new  earings  and  reef-points,  stiffened  with  the  sleet, 
knotted  like  pieces  of  iron  wire.  Having  only  our  round 
jackets  and  straw  hats  on,  we  were  soon  wet  through,  and 
it  was  every  moment  growing  colder.  Our  hands  were 
soon  stiffened  and  numbed,  which,  added  to  the  stiffness 
of  everything  else,  kept  us  a good  while  on  the  yard.  After 
we  had  got  the  sail  hauled  upon  the  yard,  we  had  to  wait 
a long  time  for  the  weather  earing  to  be  passed  ; but  there 
was  no  fault  to  be  found,  for  French  John  was  at  the  ear- 
ing, and  a better  sailor  never  laid  out  on  a yard  ; so  we 
leaned  over  the  yard,  and  beat  our  hands  upon  the  sail,  to 
keep  them  from  freezing.  At  length  the  word  came — 
“ Haul  out  to  leeward/' — and  we  seized  the  reef-points 
and  hauled  the  band  taught  for  the  lee  earing.  “ Taught 
band — Knot  away,"  and  we  got  the  first  reef  fast,  and  were 
just  going  to  lay  down,  when — “ Two  reefs — two  reefs  ! ” 
shouted  the  mate,  and  we  had  a second  reef  to  take,  in  the 
same  way.  When  this  was  fast,  we  laid  down  on  deck, 
manned  the  halyards  to  leeward,  nearly  up  to  our  knees 
in  water,  set  the  top-sail,  and  then  laid  aloft  on  the  main 


2$2  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

top-sail  yard,  and  reefed  that  sail  in  the  same  mariner ; 
for,  as  I have  before  stated,  we  were  a good  deal  reduced 
in  numbers,  and,  to  make  it  worse,  the  carpenter,  only 
two  days  before,  cut  his  leg  with  an  axe,  so  that  he  could 
not  go  aloft.  This  weakened  us  so  that  we  could  not  well 
manage  more  than  one  top-sail  at  a time,  in  such  weather 
as  this,  and,  of  course,  our  labor  was  doubled.  From  the 
main-top-sail  yard,  we  went  upon  the  main  yard,  and  took 
a reef  in  the  main  sail.  No  sooner  had  we  got  on  deck 
than — “Lay  aloft  there,  mizen-top-men,  and  close-reef  the 
mizen  top-sail ! ” This  called  me  ; and  being  nearest  to 
the  rigging,  I got  first  aloft,  and  out  to  the  weather  earing. 
English  Ben  was  on  the  yard  just  after  me,  and  took  the 
lee  earing,  and  the  rest  of  our  gang  were  soon  on  the 
yard,  and  began  to  fist  the  sail,  when  the  mate  consider- 
ately sent  up  the  cook  and  steward,  to  help  us.  I could 
not  account  for  the  long  time  it  took  to  pass  the  other  eat- 
ings, for,  to  do  my  best,  with  a strong  hand  to  help  me  at 
the  dog’s  ear,  I could  not  get  it  passed  until  I heard  them 
beginningto  complain  in  the  bunt.  One  reef  after  anothei 
we  took  in,  until  the  sail  was  close-reefed,  when  we  went 
down  and  hoisted  away  at  the  halyards.  In  the  meantime 
the  jib  had  been  furled  and  the  stay-sail  set,  and  the  ship, 
under  her  reduced  sail,  had  got  more  upright  and  was  un- 
der management ; but  the  two  top-gallant  sails  were  still 
hanging  in  the  buntlines,  and  slatting  and  jerking  as 
though  they  would  take  the  masts  out  of  her.  We  gave  a 
look  aloft,  and  knew  that  our  work  was  not  done  yet ; and 
sure  enough,  no  sooner  did  the  mate  see  that  we  were  on 
deck,  than — “Lay  aloft  there,  four  of  you,  and  furl  the  top- 
gallant sails  ! ” This  called  me  again,  and  two  of  us  went 
aloft,  up  the  fore  rigging,  and  two  more  up  the  main,  upon 
the  top-gallant  yards.  The  shrouds  were  now  iced  over, 
the  sleet  having  formed  a crust  or  cake  round  all  the  stand- 
ing  rigging,  and  on  the  weather  side  of  the  masts  and 
yards.  When  we  got  upon  the  yard,  my  hands  were  so 
numb  that  I could  not  have  cast  off  the  knot  of  the  gasket 
to  have  saved  my  life.  We  both  lay  over  the  yard  for  a 
few  seconds,  beating  our  hands  upon  the  sail,  until  we 
started  the  blood  into  our  fingers’  ends,  and  at  the  next 
moment  our  hands  were  • in  a burning  heat.  My  com- 
panion on  the  yard  was  a lad,  who  came  out  in  the  ship 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  283 

a weak,  puny  boy,  from  one  of  the  Boston  schools, — u no 
larger  than  a sprit-sail  sheet  knot”  nor  “ heavier  than  a 
paper  of  lamp-black,”  and  “ not  strong  enough  to  haul  a 
shad  off  a gridiron,”  but  who  was  now  “ as  long  as  a spare 
top-mast,  strong  enough  to  knock  down  an  ox,  and  hearty 
enough  to  eat  him.”  We  fisted  the  sail  together,  and  after 
six  or  eight  minutes  of  hard  hauling  and  pulling  and  beat- 
ing down  the  sail,  which  was  as  stiff  as  sheet  iron,  we  man- 
aged to  get  it  furled ; and  snugly  furled  it  must  be,  for  we 
knew  the  mate  well  enough  to  be  certain  that  if  it  got  adrift 
again,  we  should  be  called  up  from  our  watch  below,  at 
any  hour  of  the  night,  to  furl  it. 

I had  been  on  the  look-out  for  a moment  to  jump  be- 
low and  clap  on  a thick  jacket  and  southwester  ; but 
when  we  got  on  deck  we  found  that  eight  bells  had  been 
struck,  and  the  other  watch  gone  below,  so  that  there  were 
two  hours  of  dog  watch  for  us,  and  a plenty  of  work  to  do. 
It  had  now  set  in  for  a steady  gale  from  the  southwest  ; 
but  we  were  not  yet  far  enough  to  the  southward  to  make 
a fair  wind  of  it,  for  we  must  give  Terra  del  Fuego  a wide 
berth.  The  decks  were  covered  with  snow,  and  there  was 
a constant  driving  of  sleet.  In  fact,  Cape  Horn  had  set 
in  with  good  earnest.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  and  before 
it  became  dark,  we  had  all  the  studding-sails  to  make  up 
and  stow  away,  and  then  to  lay  aloft  and  rig  in  all  the 
booms,  fore  and  aft,  and  coil  away  the  tacks,  sheets,  and 
halyards.  This  was  pretty  tough  work  for  four  or  five 
hands,  in  the  face  of  a gale  which  almost  took  us  off  the 
yards,  and  with  ropes  so  stiff  with  ice  that  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  bend  them.  I was  nearly  half  an  hour  out  on 
the  end  of  the  fore  yard,  trying  to  coil  away  and  stop 
t own  the  top-mast  studding-sail  tack  and  lower  halyards. 
It  was  after  dark  when  we  got  through,  and  we  were  not  a 
little  pleased  to  hear  four  bells  struck,  which  sent  us  below 
tor  two  hours,  and  gave  us  each  a pot  of  hot  tea  with  our 
cold  beef  and  bread,  and,  what  was  better  yet,  a suit  of 
thick,  dry  clothing,  fitted  for  the  weather,  in  place  of  our 
thin  clothes,  which  were  wet  through  and  now  frozen  stiff. 

This  sudde*n  turn,  for  which  we  were  so  little  prepared, 
was  as  unacceptable  to  me  as  to  any  of  the  rest ; for  I had 
been  troubled  for  several  days  with  a slight  tooth-ache,  and 
this  cold  weather,  and  wetting  and  freezing,  were  not  the 


2S4  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

best  things  in  the  world  for  it.  I soon  found  that  it  was 
getting  strong  hold,  and  running  over  all  parts  of  my  face  ; 
and  before  the  watch  was  out  I went  aft  to  the  mate,  who 
had  charge  of  the  medicine-chest,  to  get  something  for  it. 
But  the  chest  showed  like  the  end  of  a long  voyage,  for 
there  was  nothing  that  would  answer  but  a few  drops  of 
laudanum,  which  must  be  saved  for  any  emergency  ; so  I 
had  only  to  bear  the  pain  as  well  as  I could. 

When  we  went  on  deck  at  eight  bells,  it  had  stopped 
snowing,  and  there  were  a few  stars  out,  but  the  clouds 
were  still  black,  and  it  was  blowing  a steady  gale.  Just 
before  midnight,  I went  aloft  and  sent  down  the  mizen 
royal  yard,  and  had  the  good  luck  to  do  it  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  mate,  who  said  it  was  done  “ out  of  hand  and 
ship-shape.”  The  next  four  hours  below  were  but  little 
relief  to  me,  for  I lay  awake  in  my  berth,  the  whole  time, 
from  the  pain  in  my  face,  and  heard  every  bell  strike,  and, 
at  four  o’clock,  turned  out  with  the  watch,  feeling  little 
spirit  for  the  hard  duties  of  the  day.  Bad  weather  and 
hard  work  at  sea  can  be  borne  up  against  very  well,  if 
one  only  has  spirit  and  health  ; but  there  is  nothing  brings 
a man  down,  at  such  a time,  like  bodily  pain  and  want  of 
sleep.  There  was,  however,  too  much  to  do  to  allow  time 
to  think  ; for  the  gale  of  yesterday,  and  the  heavy  seas  we 
met  with  a few  days  before,  while  we  had  yet  ten  degrees 
more  southing  to  make,  had  convinced  the  captain  that  we 
had  something  before  us  which  was  not  to  be  trifled  with, 
and  orders  were  given  to  send  down  the  long  top-gallant 
masts.  The  top-gallant  and  royal  yards  were  accordingly 
struck,  the  flying  jib-boom  rigged  in,  and  the  top-gallant 
masts  sent  down  on  deck,  and  all  lashed  together  by  the 
side  of  the  long-boat.  The  rigging  was  then  sent  down  and 
coiled  away  below,  and  everything  made  snug  aloft.  There 
was  not  a sailor  in  the  ship  who  was  not  rejoiced  to  see 
these  sticks  come  down  ; for,  so  long  as  the  yards  were 
aloft,  on  the  least  sign  of  a lull,  the  top-gallant  sails  were 
loosed,  and  then  we  had  to  furl  them  again  in  a snow- 
squall,  and  shin  up  and  down  single  ropes  caked  with  ice, 
and  send  royal  yards  down  in  the  teeth  of  a gale  coming 
right  from  the  south  pole.  It  was  an  interesting  sight,  too, 
to  see  our  noble  ship,  dismantled  of  all  her  top-hamper  of 
long  tapering  masts  and  yards,  and  boom  pointed  with 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  285 

spear-head,  which  ornamented  her  in  port  ; and  all  that 
canvas,  which  a few  days  before  had  covered  her  like  a 
cloud,  from  the  truck  to  the  water’s  edge,  spreading  far 
out  beyond  her  hull  on  either  side,  now  gone  ; and  she, 
stripped,  like  a wrestler  for  the  fight.  It  corresponded, 
too,  with  the  desolate  character  of  her  situation  ; — alone, 
as  she  was,  battling  with  storms,  wind,  and  ice,  at  this  ex- 
tremity of  the  globe,  and  in  almost  constant  night. 

Friday,  July,  1st.  We  were  now  nearly  up  to  the  lati- 
of  Cape  Horn,  and  having  over  forty  degrees  of  easting 
to  make,  we  squared  away  the  yards  before  a strong  west- 
erly gale,  shook  a reef  out  of  the  fore  top-sail,  and  stood 
on  our  way,  east-by-south,  with  the  prospect  of  being  up 
with  the  Cape  in  a week  or  ten  days.  As  for  myself, 
I had  had  no  sleep  for  forty-eight  hours ; and  the  want  of 
rest,  together  with  constant  wet  and  cold,  had  increased 
the  swelling,  so  that  my  face  was  nearly  as  large  as  two,  and 
I found  it  impossible  to  get  my  mouth  open  wide  enough  to 
eat.  In  this  state,  the  steward  applied  to  the  captain  for 
some  rice  to  boil  for  me,  but  he  only  got  a — “ No  ! d — you  ! 
Tell  him  to  eat  salt  junk  and  hard  bread,  like  the  rest  of 
them.”  For  this,  of  course,  I was  much  obliged  to  him, 
and  in  truth  it  was  just  what  I expected.  However,  I did 
not  starve,  for  the  mate,  who  was  a man  as  well  as  a 
sailor,  and  had  always  been  a good  friend  to  me,  smuggled 
a pan  of  rice  into  the  galley,  and  told  the  cook  to  boil  it 
for  me,  and  not  let  the  “ old  man  ” see  it.  Had  it  been 
fine  weather,  or  in  port,  I should  have  gone  below  and 
lain  by  until  my  face  got  well ; but  in  such  weather  as  this., 
and  short-handed  as  we  were,  it  was  not  for  me  to  desert 
my  post ; so  I kept  on  deck,  and  stood  my  watch  and  did 
my  duty  as  well  as  I could. 

Saturday,  July  2nd,  This  day  the  sun  rose  fair,  but  it 
ran  too  low  in  the  heavens  to  give  any  heat,  or  thaw  out 
our  sails  and  rigging ; yet  the  sight  of  it  was  pleasant  ; 
and  we  had  a steady  “ reef-top-sail  breeze  ” from  the  west- 
ward. The  atmosphere,  which  had  previously  been  clear 
and  cold,  for  the  last  few  hours  grew  damp,  and  had  a dis- 
agreeable, wet  chilliness  in  it ; and  the  man  who  came 
from  the  wheel  said  he  heard  the  captain  tell  “ the  passen- 
ger ” that  the  thermometer  had  fallen  several  degrees  since 
moaning,  which  he  could  not  account  for  in  any  other  way 


286 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


than  by  supposing  that  there  must  be  ice  near  us  ; though 
such  a thing  had  never  been  heard  of  in  this  lattitude,  at 
this  season  of  the  year.  At  twelve  o’clock  we  went  below, 
and  had  just  got  through  dinner,  when  the  cook  put  his 
head  down  the  scuttle  and  told  us  to  come  on  deck  and 
see  the  finest  sight  that  we  had  ever  seen.  “ Where  away, 
cook  ? ” asked  the  first  man  who  was  up.  “ On  the  lar- 
board bow.”  And  there  lay,  floating  on  the  ocean,  several 
miles  off,  an  immense,  irregular  mass,  its  top  and  points 
covered  with  snow,  and  its  centre  of  a deep  indigo  color. 
This  was  an  iceberg,  and  of  the  largest  size,  as  one  of  our 
men  said  who  had  been  in  the  Northern  ocean.  As  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  sea  in  every  direction  was  of  a 
deep  blue  color,  the  waves  running  high  and  fresh,  and 
sparkling  in  the  light,  and  in  the  midst  lay  this  immense 
mountain-island,  its  cavities  and  valleys  thrown  into  deep 
shade,  and  its  points  and  pinnacles  glittering  in  the  sun. 
All  hands  were  soon  on  deck,  looking  at  it,  and  admiring 
in  various  ways  its  beauty  and  grandeur.  But  no  descrip- 
tion can  give  any  idea  of  the  strangeness,  splendor,  and, 
really,  the  sublimity,  of  the  sight.  Its  great  size; — for  it 
it  must  have  been  from  two  to  three  miles  in  circumference 
and  several  hundred  feet  in  height ; — its  slow  motion,  as 
its  base  rose  and  sank  in  the  water,  and  its  high  points 
nodded  against  the  clouds ; the  dashing  of  the  waves  upon 
it,  which,  breaking  high  with  foam,  lined  its  base  with  a 
white  crust ; and  the  t!  x ndering  sound  of  the  cracking  of 
the  mass,  and  th:  breaking  and  tumbling  down  of  huge 
pieces  ; together  with  its  nearness  and  approach,  which 
added  a slight  element  of  fear, — all  combined  to  give  to  it 
the  character  of  true  sublimity.  The  main  body  of  the 
mass  was,  as  I have  said,  of  an  indigo  color,  its  base 
crusted  with  frozen  foam ; and  as  it  grew  thin  and  trans- 
parent toward  the  edges  and  top,  its  color  shaded  off  from 
a deep  blue  to  the  whiteness  of  snow.  It  seemed  to  be 
drifting  slowly  toward  the  north,  so  that  we  kept  away  and 
avoided  it.  It  was  in  sight  all  the  afternoon  ; and  when 
we  got  to  leeward  of  it,  the  wind  died  away,  so  that  we 
lay-to  quite  near  it  for  a greater  part  of  the  night.  Un- 
fortunately, there  was  no  moon,  but  it  was  a clear  night, 
and  we  could  plainly  mark  the  long,  regular  heaving  of  the 
stupendous  mass,  as  its  edges  moved  slowly  against  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST.  287 

stars.  Several  times  on  our  watch  loud  cracks  were 
heard,  which  sounded  as  though  they  must  have  run 
through  the  whole  length  of  the  iceberg,  and  several 
pieces  fell  down  with  a thundering  crash,  plunging  heavily 
into  the  sea.  Toward  morning,  a strong  breeze  sprang 
up,  and  we  filled  away,  and  left  it  astern,  and  at  daylight 
it  was  out  of  sight.  The  next  day,  which  was 

Sunday , July  3d,  the  breeze  continued  strong,  the  air 
exceedingly  chilly,  and  the  thermometer  low.  In  the 
course  of  the  day  we  saw  several  icebergs,  of  different 
sizes,  but  none  so  near  as  the  one  which  we  saw  the  day 
before.  Some  of  the  them,  as  well  as  we  could  judge,  at  the 
distance  at  which  we  were,  must  have  been  as  large  as  that, 
if  not  larger,  At  noon  we  were  in  latitude  550  i2#  south, 
and  supposed  longitude  89°  5'  west.  Toward  night  the 
wind  hauled  to  the  southward,  and  headed  us  off  our  course 
a little,  and  blew  a tremendous  gale  ; but  this  we  did  not 
mind,  as  there  was  no  rain  nor  snow,  and  we  were  already 
under  close  sail. 

Monday,  July  \th,  This  was  “ independent  day  ” in  Bos- 
ton. What  firing  of  guns,  and  ringing  of  bells,  and  re- 
joicings of  all  sorts,  in  every  part  of  our  country ! The 
ladies  (who  have  not  gone  down  to  Nahant,  for  a breath  of 
cool  air,  and  sight  of  the  ocean)  walking  the  streets  with 
parasols  over  their  heads,  and  the  dandies  in  their  white 
pantaloons  and  silk  stockings!  What  quantities  of  ice- 
cream have  been  eaten,  and  what  quantities  of  ice  brought 
into  the  city  from  a distance,  and  sold  out  by  the  lump 
and  the  pound  ! The  smallest  of  the  islands  which  we  saw 
to-day  would  have  made  the  fortune  of  poor  Jack,  if  he 
had  had  it  in  Boston  ; and  I dare  say  he  would  have  had  no 
objection  to  being  there  with  it.  This,  to  be  sure,  was  no 
place  to  keep  the  fourth  of  July.  To  keep  ourselves  warm, 
and  the  ship  out  of  the  ice,  was  as  much  as  we  could  do. 
Yet  no  one  forgot  the  day ; and  many  were  the  wishes,  and 
conjectures,  and  comparisons,  both  serious  and  ludicrous, 
which  were  made  among  all  hands.  The  sun  shone  bright 
as  long  as  it  was  up,  only  that  a scud  of  black  clouds  was 
ever  and  anon  driving  across  it.  At  noon  we  were  in  lat. 
540  27'  S.,  and  long,  85°  5'  W.,  having  made  a good  deal 
of  easting,  but  having  lost  in  our  latitude  by  the  heading 
of  the  wind.  Between  daylight  and  dark — that  is,  between 


288 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST* 


nine  o'clock  and  three — we  saw  thirty-four  ice  islands,  of 
various  sizes  ; some  no  bigger  than  the  hull  of  our  vessel, 
and  others  apparently  nearly  as  large  as  the  one  that  we  first 
saw;  though,  as  we  went  on,  the  islands  became  smaller 
and  more  numerous ; and,  at  sundown  of  this  day,  a man 
at  the  mast-head  saw  large  fields  of  floating  ice,  called 
‘field-ice,'  at  the  southeast.  This  kind  of  ice  is  much 
more  dangerous  than  the  large  islands,  for  those  can  be 
seen  at  a distance,  and  kept  away  from ; but  the  field-ice, 
floating  in  great  quantities,  and  covering  the  ocean  for 
miles  and  miles,  in  pieces  of  every  size — large,  flat,  and 
broken  cakes,  with  here  and  there  an  island  rising  twenty 
and  thirty  feet,  and  as  large  as  the  ship's  hull ; — this,  it  is 
very  difficult  to  sheer  clear  of.  A constant  look-out  was 
necessary ; for  any  of  these  pieces,  coming  with  the  heave 
of  the  sea,  were  large  enough  to  have  knocked  a hole  in 
the  ship,  and  that  would  have  been  the  end  of  us  ; for  no 
boat  (even  if  we  could  have  got  one  out)  could  have  lived 
in  such  a sea;  and  no  man  could  have  lived  in  a boat  in 
such  weather.  To  make  our  condition  still  worse,  the  wind 
came  out  due  east,  just  after  sundown,  and  it  blew  a gale 
dead  ahead,  with  hail  and  sleet,  and  a thick  fog,  so  that 
we  could  not  see  half  the  length  of  the  ship.  Our  chief 
reliance,  the  prevailing  westerly  gales,  was  thus  cut  off ; 
and  here  we  were,  nearly  seven  hundred  miles  to  the  west- 
ward of  the  Cape,  with  a gale  dead  from  the  eastward,  and 
the  weather  so  thick  that  we  could  not  see  the  ice  with 
which  we  were  surrounded,  until  it  was  directly  under  our 
bows.  At  four  P.  M.  (it  was  then  quite  dark)  all  hands 
were  called,  and  sent  aloft  in  a violent  squall  of  hail  and 
rain  to  take  in  sail.  We  had  now  all  got  on  our  “ Cape 
Horn  rig  " — thick  boots,  southwesters  coming  down  over 
our  necks  and  ears,  thick  trowsers  and  jackets,  and  some 
with  oil-cloth  suits  over  all.  Mittens,  too,  we  wore  on 
deck,  but  it  would  not  do  to  go  aloft  with  them  on, 
for  it  was  impossible  to  work  with  them,  and  being 
wet  and  stiff,  they  might  let  a man  slip  overboard,  for  all 
the  hold  he  could  get  upon  a rope  ; so,  we  were  obliged 
to  work  with  bare  hands,  which,  as  well  as  our  faces,  were 
often  cut  with  the  hail-stones,  which  fell  thick  and  large. 
Our  ship  was  now  all  cased  with  ice, — hull,  spars,  and 
standing  rigging ; — and  the  running  rigging  so  stiff  that  xf 


nvo  years  Before  the  mast.  289 

could  hardly  bend  it  so  as  to  belay  it,  or,  still  worse,  take 
a knot  with  it ; and  the  sails  nearly  as  stiff  as  sheet  iron. 
One  at  a time,  (for  it  was  a long  piece  of  work  and  re- 
quired many  hands,)  we  furled  the  courses,  mizen  top-sail, 
and  fore  top-mast  stay-sail,  and  close-reefed  the  fore  and 
main  top-sails,  and  hove  the  ship  to  under  the  fore,  with 
the  main  hauled  up  by  the  clewlines  and  buntlines,  and 
ready  to  be  sheeted  home,  if  we  found  it  necessary  to  make 
sail  to  get  to  windward  of  an  island.  A regular  look-out 
was  then  set,  and  kept  by  each  watch  in  turn,  until  the 
morning.  It  was  a tedious  and  anxious  night.  It  blew 
hard  the  whole  time,  and  there  was  an  almost  constant 
driving  of  either  rain,  hail,  or  snow.  In  addition  to  this, 
it  was  ‘‘as  thick  as  muck,”  and  the  ice  was  all  about  us. 
The  captain  was  on  deck  nearly  the  whole  night,  and  kept 
the  cook  in  the  galley,  with  a roaring  fire,  to  make  coffee 
for  him,  which  he  took  every  few  hours,  and  once  or  twice 
gave  a little  to  his  officers  ; but  not  a drop  of  anything 
was  there  for  the  crew.  The  captain,  who  sleeps  all  the 
daytime,  and  comes  and  goes  at  night  as  he  chooses,  can 
have  his  brandy  and  water  in  the  cabin,  and  his  hot  coffee 
at  the  galley;  while  Jack,  who  has  to  stand  through  every- 
thing, and  work  in  wet  and  cold,  can  have  nothing 
to  wet  his  lips  or  warm  his  stomach.  This  was  a 
“ temperance  ship,”  and,  like  too  many  such  ships,  the 
temperance  was  all  in  the  forecastle.  The  sailor  who 
only  takes  his  one  glass  as  it  is  dealt  out  to  him,  is 
in  danger  of  being  drunk ; while  the  captain,  who 
has  all  under  his  hand,  and  can  drink  as  much  as  he 
chooses,  and  upon  whose  self-possession  and  cool  judgment 
the  lives  of  all  depend,  may  be  trusted  with  any  amount, 
to  drink  at  his  will.  Sailors  will  never  be  convinced  that 
rum  is  a dangerous  thing,  by  taking  it  away  from  them, 
and  giving  it  to  the  officers  ; nor  that  that  temperance 
is  their  friend  which  takes  from  them  what  they  have  al- 
ways had,  and  gives  them  nothing  in  the  place  of  it.  By 
seeing  it  allowed  to  their  officers,  they  will  not  be  con- 
vinced that  it  is  taken  from  them  for  their  good  ; and  by 
receiving  nothing  in  its  place,  they  will  not  believe  that  it 
is  done  in  kindness.  On  the  contrary,  many  of  them  look 
upon  the  change  as  a new  instrument  of  tyranny.  Not 
that  they  prefer  rum.  I never  knew  a sailor,  in  my  life, 


290 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


who  would  not  prefer  a pot  of  hot  coffee  or  chocolate,  in  a 
cold  night,  to  all  the  rum  afloat.  They  all  say  that  rum 
only  warms  them  for  a time  ; yet,  if  they  can  get  nothing 
better,  they  will  miss  what  they  have  lost.  The  momen- 
tary warmth  and  glow  from  drinking  it ; the  break  and 
change  which  is  made  in  a long,  dreary  watch  by  the  mere 
calling  all  hands  aft  and  serving  of  it  out ; and  the  simply 
having  some  event  to  look  forward  to,  and  to  talk  about ; 
give  it  an  importance  and  a use  which  no  one  can  appreci- 
ate who  has  not  stood  his  watch  before  the  mast.  On  my 
passage  round  Cape  Horn  before,  the  vessel  that  I was  in 
was  not  under  temperance  articles,  and  grog  was  served  out 
every  middle  and  morning  watch,  and  after  every  reefing 
of  top-sails ; and  though  I had  never  drank  rum  before, 
and  never  intend  to  again,  I took  my  allowance  then  at 
the  capstan,  as  the  rest  did,  merely  for  the  momentary 
warmth  it  gave  the  system,  and  -the  change  in  our 
feelings  and  aspect  of  our  duties  on  the  watch.  At 
the  same  time,  as  I have  stated,  there  was  not  a 
man  on  board  who  would  not  have  pitched  the  rum 
to  the  dogs,  (I  have  heard  them  say  so,  a dozen  times)  for 
a pot  of  coffee  or  chocolate  ; or  even  for  our  common 
beverage — “ water  bewitched,  and  tea  begrudged,”  as  it 
was.*  The  temperance  reform  is  the  best  thing  that  ever 
was  undertaken  for  the  sailor ; but  when  the  grog  is  taken 
from  him,  he  ought  to  have  something  in  its  place.  As  it 
is  now,  in  most  vessels,  it  is  a mere  saving  to  the  owners  ; 
and  this  accounts  for  the  sudden  increase  of  temperance 
ships,  which  surprised  even  the  best  friends  of  the  cause. 
If  every  merchant,  when  he  struck  grog  from  the  list  of 
the  expenses  of  his  ship,  had  been  obliged  to  substitute  as 
much  coffee,  or  chocolate,  as  would  give  each  man  a pot- 
full  when  he  came  off  the  top-sail  yard,  on  a stormy  night ; 
— I fear  Jack  might  have  gone  to  ruin  on  the  old  road.f 

* The  proportions  of  the  ingredients  of  the  tea  that  was  made  for 
us,  (and  ours,  as  I have  before  stated,  was  a favorable  specimen  of 
American  merchantmen),  were,  a pint  of  tea,  and  a pint  and  a half  of 
molasses,  to  about  three  gallons  of  water.  These  are  all  boiled  down 
together  in  the  “ coppers,”  and  before  serving  it  out,  the  mess  is  stir- 
red up  with  a stick,  so  as  to  give  each  man  his  fair  share  of  sweeten- 
ing and  tea-leaves.  The  tea  for  the  cabin  is,  of  course,  made  in  the 
usual  way,  in  a tea-pot,  and  drank  with  sugar. 

t I do  not  wish  these  remarks,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  saving  of 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


291 


But  this  is  not  doubling  Cape  Horn.  Eight  hours 
of  the  night,  our  watch  was  on  deck,  and  during  the 
whole  of  that  time  we  kept  a bright  look-out : one  man 
on  each  bow,  another  in  the  bunt  of  the  fore  yards, 
the  third  mate  on  the  scuttle,  one  on  each  quarter, 
and  a man  always  standing  by  the  wheel.  The  chief 
mate  was  everywhere,  and  commanded  the  ship  when 
the  captain  was  below.  When  a large  piece  of  ice  was 
seen  in  our  way,  or  drifting  near  us,  the  word  was  passed 
along,  and  the  ship’s  head  turned  one  way  and  another ; 
and  sometimes  the  yards  squared  or  braced  up.  There 
was  little  else  to  do  than  to  look  out ; and  we  had  the 
sharpest  eyes  in  the  ship  on  the  forecastle.  The  only 
variety  was  the  monotonous  voice  of  the  look-out  forward — 
“Another  island!” — “Ice  ahead!” — “Ice  on  the  lee 
bow ! ” — “ Hard  up  the  helm  ! ” — “ Keep  her  off  a little  ! ” 
— “ Stead-y  ! ” 

In  the  meantime,  the  wet  and  cold  had  brought  my 
face  into  such  a state  that  I could  neither  eat  nor  sleep  ; 
and  though  I stood  it  out  all  night,  yet,  when  it  became 
light,  I was  in  such  a state,  that  all  hands  told  me  I must 
go  below,  and  lie-by  for  a day  or  two,  or  I should  be  laid 
up  for  a long  time,  and  perhaps  have  the  lock-jaw.  When 
the  watch  was  changed  I went  into  the  steerage,  and  took 
off  my  hat  and  comforter,  and  showed  my  face  to  the  mate 
who  told  me  to  go  below  at  once,  and  stay  in  my  berth  un- 
til the  swelling  went  down,  and  gave  the  cook  orders  to 
make  a poultice  for  me,  and  said  he  would  speak  to  the 
captain. 

I went  below  and  turned-in,  covering  myself  over  with 
blankets  and  jackets,  and  lay  in  my  berth  nearly  twenty- 
four  hours  half  asleep  and  half  awake,  stupid,  from  the 
dull  pain.  I heard  the  watch  called,  and  the  men  going 

expense  in  the  outfit,  to  be  applied  to  the  owners  of  our  ship,  for  she 
was  supplied  with  an  abundance  of  stores,  of  the  best  kind  that  are 
given  to  seamen  ; though  the  dispensing  of  them  is  necessarily  left  to 
the  captain.  Indeed,  so  high  was  the  reputation  of  “ the  employ  ” 
among  men  and  officers,  for  the  character  and  outfit  of  their  vessels, 
and  for  their  liberality  in  conducting  their  voyages,  that  when  it  was 
known  that  they  had  a ship  fitting  out  for  a long  voyage,  and  that 
hands  were  to  be  shipped  at  a certain  time  ; — a half  hour  before  the 
time,  as  one  ofc  the  crew  told  me,  numbers  of  sailors  were  steering 
down  the  wharf,  hopping  over  the  barrels,  like  flocks  of  sheep. 


292 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


up  and  down,  and  sometimes  a noise  on  deck,  and  a cry 
of  “ ice,”  but  I gave  little  attention  to  anything.  At  the 
end  of  twenty-four  hours  the  pain  went  down,  and  I had  a 
long  sleep,  which  brought  me  back  to  my  proper  state  ; 
yet  my  face  was  so  swollen  and  tender,  that  I was  obliged 
to  keep  to  my  berth  for  two  or  three  days  longer.  Dur- 
ing the  two  days  I had  been  below,  the  weather  was  much 
the  same  that  it  had  been,  head  winds,  and  snow  und 
rain  ; or,  if  the  wind  came  fair,  too  foggy,  and  the  ice  too 
thick,  to  run.  At  the  end  of  the  third  day  the  ice  was 
very  thick  ; a complete  fog-bank  covered  the  ship.  It 
blew  a tremendous  gale  from  the  eastward,  with  sleet  and 
snow,  and  there  was  every  promise  of  a dangerous  and 
fatiguing  night.  At  dark,  the  captain  called  all  hands  aft, 
and  told  them  that  not  a man  was  to  leave  the  deck 
that  night ; that  the  ship  was  in  the  greatest  danger ; 
any  cake  of  ice  might  knock  a hole  in  her,  or  she 
might  run  on  an  island  and  go  to  pieces.  No  one  could 
tell  whether  she  would  be  a ship  the  next  morning.  The 
look-outs  were  then  set,  and  every  man  was  put  in  his  sta- 
tion. When  I heard  what  was  the  state  of  things,  I began 
to  put  on  my  clothes  to  stand  it  out  with  the  rest  of  them, 
when  the  mate  came  below,  and  looking  at  my  face,  or- 
dered me  back  to  my  berth,  saying  that  if  we  went  down, 
we  should  all  go  down  together,  but  if  I went  on  deck  I 
might  lay  myself  up  for  life.  This  was  the  first  word  I 
had  heard  from  aft ; for  the  captain  had  done  nothing,  nor 
inquired  how  I was,  since  I went  below. 

In  obedience  to  the  mate’s  orders,  I went  back  to  my 
berth ; but  a more  miserable  night  I never  wish  to  spend. 
I never  felt  the  curse  of  sickness  so  keenly  in  my  life.  If 
I could  only  have  been  on  deck  with  the  rest,  where  some- 
thing was  to  be  done,  and  seen,  and  heard  ; where  there  were 
fellow-beings  for  companions  in  duty  and  danger — but  to  be 
cooped  up  alone  in  a black  hole,  in  equal  danger,  but  with- 
out the  power  to  do,  was  the  hardest  trial.  Several  times, 
in  the  course  of  the  night,  I got  up,  determined  to  go  on 
deck  ; but  the  silence  which  showed  that  there  was  nothing 
doing,  and  the  knowledge  that  I might  make  myself  seri- 
ously ill,  for  nothing,  kept  me  back.  It  was  not  easy  to 
sleep,  lying,  as  I did,  with  my  li  1 1#  1 


bows,  which  might  be  dashed 


TIVO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


293 


brought  down  by  the  very  next  sea  that  struck  her.  This 
was  the  only  time  I had  been  ill,  since  I left  Boston,  and 
it  was  the  worst  time  it  could  have  happened.  I felt  almost 
willing  to  bear  the  plagues  of  Egypt  for  the  rest  of  voyage, 
if  I could  but  be  well  and  strong  for  that  one  night.  Yet 
it  was  a dreadful  night  for  those  on  deck.  A watch  of 
eighteen  hours,  with  wet,  and  cold,  and  constant  anxiety, 
nearly  wore  them  out ; and  when  they  came  below  at  nine 
o’clock  for  breakfast,  they  almost  dropped  asleep  on  their 
chests,  and  some  of  them  were  so  stiff  that  they  could  with 
difficulty  sit  down.  Not  a drop  of  anything  had  been  given 
them  during  the  whole  time,  (though  the  captain,  as  on  the 
night  that  I was  on  deck,  had  his  coffee  every  four  hours,) 
except  that  the  mate  stole  a pot-full  of  coffee  for  two  men 
to  drink  behind  the  galley,  while  he  kept  a look-out  for 
the  captain.  Every  man  had  his  station,  and  was  not  al- 
lowed to  leave  it ; and  nothing  happened  to  break  the  mo- 
notony of  the  night,  except  once  setting  the  main  top-sails 
to  run  clear  of  a large  island  to  leeward,  which  they  were 
drifting  fast  upon.  Some  of  the  boys  got  so  sleepy  and 
stupefied,  that  they  actually  fell  asleep  at  their  posts  ; and 
the  young  third  mate,  whose  station  was  the  exposed  one 
of  standing  on  the  fore  scuttle,  was  so  stiff,  when  he  was 
relieved,  that  he  could  not  bend  his  knees  to  get  down. 
By  a constant  look-out,  and  a quick  shifting  of  the  helm,  as 
the  islands  and  pieces  came  in  sight,  the  ship  went  clear  of 
everything  but  a few  small  pieces,  though  daylight  showed 
the  ocean  covered  for  miles.  At  daybreak  it  fell  a dead 
calm,  and  with  the  sun,  the  fog  cleared  a little,  and  a 
breeze  sprung  up  from  the  westward,  which  soon  grew  into 
a gale.  We  had  now  a fair  wind,  daylight,  and  compara- 
tively  clear  weather;  yet,  to  the  surprise  of  every  one,  the 
ship  continued  hove-to.  Why  does  not  he  run  ? What  is 
the  captain  about  ? was  asked  by  every  one ; and  from 
questions,  it  soon  grew  into  complaints  and  murmurings. 
When  the  daylight  was  so  short,  it  was  too  bad  to  lose  it, 
and  a fair  wind,  too,  which  every  one  had  been  praying  for. 
As  hour  followed  hour,  and  the  captain  si -owed  no  sign 
of  making  sail,  the  crew  became  impatient,  and  there  was 
a good  deal  of  talking  and  consultation  together,  on  the 
forecastle.  They  had  been  beaten  out  with  the  exposure 
and  hardship,  and  impatient  to  get  out  of  it,  and  this  un- 


294 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


accountable  delay  was  more  than  they  could  bear  in  quiet- 
ness,  in  their  excited  and  restless  state.  Some  said  that 
the  captain  was  frightened, — completely  cowed,  by  the 
dangers  and  difficulties  that  surrounded  us,  and  was*  afraid 
to  make  sail ; while  others  said  that  in  his  anxiety  and 
suspense  he  had  made  a free  use  of  brandy  and  opium,  and 
was  unfit  for  his  duty.  The  carpenter,  who  was  an  intel 
ligent  man,  a thorough  seaman,  and  had  great  influence 
with  the  crew,  came  down  into  the  forecastle,  and  tried  to 
induce  the  crew  to  go  aft  and  ask  the  captain  why  he  did 
not  run,  or  request  him,  in  the  name  of  all  hands,  to  make 
sail.  This  appeared  to  be  a very  reasonable  request,  and 
the  crew  agreed  that  if  he  did  not  make  sail  before  noon, 
they  would  go  aft.  Noon  came,  and  no  sail  was  made.  A 
consultation  was  held  again,  and  it  was  proposed  to  take 
the  ship  from  the  captain  and  give  the  command  of  her  to 
the  mate,  who  had  been  heard  to  say  that,  if  he  could  have 
his  way,  the  ship  would  have  been  half  the  distance  to  the 
Cape  before  night, — ice  or  no  ice.  And  so  irritated  and  impa- 
tient had  the  crew  become,  that  even  this  proposition,  which 
was  open  mutiny  punishable  with  state  prison,  was  enter- 
tained, and  the  carpenter  went  to  his  berth,  leaving  it 
tacitly  understood  that  something  serious  would  be  done, 
if  things  remained  as  they  were  many  hours  longer.  When 
the  carpenter  left  we  talked  it  all  over,  and  I gave  my 
advice  strongly  against  it.  Another  of  the  men,  too,  who 
had  known  something  of  the  kind  attempted  in  another 
ship  by  a crew  who  were  dissatisfied  with  their  captain, 
and  which  was  followed  with  serious  consequences,  was 

opposed  to  it.  S , who  soon  came  down,  joined  us, 

and  we  determined  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  By  these 
means,  they  were  soon  induced  to  give  it  up,  for  the  pres- 
ent, though  they  said  they  would  not  lie  where  they  were 
much  longer  without  knowing  the  reason. 

The  affair  remained  in  this  state  until  four  o’clock, 
when  an  order  came  forward  for  all  hands  to  come  aft 
upon  the  quarter-deck.  In  about  ten  minutes  they  came 
forward  again,  and  the  whole  affair  had  been  blown.  The 
carpenter,  very  prematurely,  and  without  any  authority 
from  the  crew,  had  sounded  the  mate  as  to  whether  he 
would  take  command  of  the  ship,  and  intimated  an  inten- 
tion to  displace  the  captain ; and  the  mate,  as  in  duty 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


295 


bound,  had  told  the  whole  to  the  captain,  who  immediately 
sent  for  all  hands  aft.  Instead  of  violent  measures,  or,  at 
least,  an  outbreak  of  quarter-deck  bravado,  threat  and  abuse, 
which  they  had  every  reason  to  expect,  a sense  of  common 
danger  and  common  suffering  seemed  to  have  tamed  his 
spirit,  and  begotten  something  like  a humane  fellow-feel- 
ing for  he  received  the  crew  in  a manner  quiet,  and  even 
almost  kind.  He  told  them  what  he  had  heard,  and  said 
that  he  did  not  believe  that  they  would  try  to  do  any  such 
thing  as  was  intimated  ; that  they  had  always  been  good 
men, — obedient,  and  knew  their  duty,  and  as  he  had  no  fault 
to  find  with  them  ; and  asked  them  what  they  had  to  com- 
plain of — said  that  no  one  could  say  that  he  was  slow  to 
carry  sail,  (which  was  true  enough  ;)  and  that,  as  soon  as 
he  thought  it  was  safe  and  proper,  he  should  make  sail. 
He  added  a few  words  about  their  duty  in  their  present  situa- 
tion, and  sent  them  forward,  saying  that  he  should  take 
no  further  notice  of  the  matter  ; but,  at  the  same  time,  told 
the  carpenter  to  recollect  whose  power  he  was  in,  and 
that  if  he  heard  another  word  from  him  he  would  have  cause 
to  remember  him  to  the  day  of  his  death. 

This  language  of  the  captain  had  a very  good  effect 
upon  the  crew,  and  they  returned  quietly  to  their  duty. 

For  two  days  more  the  wind  blew  from  the  southward 
and  eastward ; or  in  the  short  intervals  when  it  was  fair, 
the  ice  was  too  thick  to  run ; yet  the  weather  was  not  so 
dreadfully  bad,  and  the  crew  had  watch  and  watch.  I still 
remained  in  my  berth,  fast  recovering,  yet  still  not  well 
enough  to  go  safely  on  deck.  And  I should  have  been  per- 
fectly useless  ; for,  from  having  eaten  nothing  for  nearly  a 
week,  except  a little  rice  which  I forced  into  my  mouth  the 
last  day  or  two, I was  as  weak  as  an  infant.  To  be  sick  in 
a forecastle  is  miserable  indeed.  It  is  the  worst  part  of  a 
dog’s  life  ; especially  in  bad  weather.  The  forecastle,  shut 
up  tight  to  keep  out  the  water  and  cold  air; — the  watch 
either  on  deck,  or  asleep  in  their  berths  ; — no  one  to  speak 
to  ; the  pale  light  of  the  single  lamp,  swinging  to  and  fro 
from  the  beam,  so  dim  that  one  could  scarcely  see,  much 
less  read  by  it ; — the  water  dropping  from  the  beams  and 
carlines,  and  running  down  the  sides  ; and  the  forecastle  so 
wet',  and  dark,  and  cheerless,  and  so  lumbered  up  with  chests 
and  wet  clothes,  that  sitting  up  is  worse  than  lying  in  the 


296  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 

berth  ! These  are  some  of  the  evils.  Fortunately,  I needed 
no  help  from  any  one,  and  no  medicine  ; and  if  I had 
needed  help,  I don’t  know  where  I should  have  found  it. 
Sailors  are  willing  enough,  but  it  is  true,  as  is  often  said — 
No  one  ships  for  nurse  on  board  a vessel.  Our  merchant 
ships  are  always  under-manned,  and  if  one  man  is  lost  by 
sickness,  they  cannot  spare  another  to  take  care  of  him. 
A sailor  is  always  presumed  to  be  well,  and  if  he’s  sick, 
he’s  a poor  dog.  One  has  to  stand  his  wheel,  and  another 
his  look-out,  and  the  sooner  he  gets  on  deck  again,  the 
better. 

Accordingly,  as  soon  as  I could  possibly  go  back  to  my 
duty,  I put  on  my  thick  clothes  and  boots  and  southwester, 
and  made  my  appearance  on  deck.  Though  I had  been 
but  a few  days  below,  yet  everything  looked  strangely 
enough.  The  ship  was  cased  in  ice, — decks,  sides,  masts, 
yards,  and  rigging.  Two  close-reefed  top-sails  were  all 
the  sail  she  had  on,  and  every  sail  and  rope  was  frozen  so 
stiff  in  its  place,  that  it  seemed  as  though  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  start  anything.  Reduced,  too,  to  her  top-masts, 
she  had  altogether  a most  forlorn  and  crippled  appearance. 
The  sun  had  come  up  brightly  ; the  snow  was  swept  off  the 
decks,  and  ashes  thrown  upon  them,  so  that  we  could  walk, 
for  they  had  been  as  slippery  as  glass.  It  was,  of  course, 
too  cold  to  carry  on  any  ship’s  work,  and  we  had  only  to 
wafk  the  deck  and  keep  ourselves  warm.  The  wind  was 
stfU  ahead,  and  the  whole  ocean,  to  the  eastward,  covered 
with  islands  and  field-ice.  At  four  bells  the  order  was  given 
to  square  away  the  yards  ; and  the  man  who  came  from  the 
helm  said  that  the  captain  had  kept  her  off  to  N.  N.  E. 
What  could  this  mean  ? Some  said  that  he  was  going  to 
put  into  Valparaiso,  and  winter,  and  others  that  he  was  go- 
ing to  run  out  of  the  ice  and  cross  the  Pacific,  and  go  home 
around  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Soon,  however,  it  leaked 
out,  and  we  found  that  we  were  running  for  the  straits  of 
Magellan.  The  news  soon  spread  through  the  ship,  and  all 
tongues  were  at  work,  talking  about  it.  No  one  on  board 
had  been  through  the  straits,  but  I had  in  my  chest  an  ac- 
count of  the  passage  of  the  ship  A.  J.  Donelson,  of  New 
York,  through  those  straits  a few  years  before.  The  account 
was  given  by  the  captain,  and  the  representation  was  as 
favorable  as  possible.  It  was  soon  read  by  every  one  on 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TEE  MAST. 


297 


board,  and  various  opinious  pronounced.  The  determina- 
tion of  our  captain  had  at  least  this  good  effect : it  gave 
every  one  something  to  think  and  talk  about,  made  a break 
in  our  life,  and  diverted  our  minds  from  the  monotonous 
dreariness  of  the  prospect  before  us.  Having  made  a fair 
wind  of  it,  we  were  going  off  at  a good  rate,  and  leaving  the 
thickest  of  the  ice  behind  us.  This  at  least  was  something. 

Having  been  long  enough  below  to  get  my  hands  well 
warmed  and  softened,  the  first  handling  of  the  ropes  was 
rather  tough  ; but  a few  days  hardened  them,  and  as  soon 
as  I got  my  mouth  open  wide  enough  to  take  in  a piece  of 
salt  beef  and  hard  bread,  I was  all  right  again. 

Sunday,  July  10 th.  Lat.  540  10',  Ion.  79°  07 '.  This 
was  our  position  at  noon.  The  sun  was  out  bright ; the 
ice  was  all  left  behind,  and  things  had  quite  a cheering  ap- 
pearance. We  brought  our  wet  pea-jackets  and  trowsers 
on  deck,  and  hung  them  up  in  the  rigging,  that  the  breeze 
and  the  few  hours  of  sun  might  dry  them  a little  ; and,  by 
the  permission  of  the  cook,  the  galley  was  nearly  filled 
with  stockings  and  mittens,  hung  around  to  be  dried.  Boots, 
too,  were  brought  up,  and  having  got  a little  tar  and  slush 
from  below,  we  gave  them  a thick  coat.  After  dinner,  all 
hands  were  turned-to,  to  get  the  anchors  over  the  bows, 
bend  on  the  chains,  etc.  The  fish-tackle  was  got  up,  fish- 
davit  rigged  out,  and  after  two  or  three  hours  of  hard  and 
cold  work,  both  the  anchors  were  ready  for  instant  use,  a 
couple  of  hedges  got  up,  a hawser  coiled  away  upon  the 
fore-hatch,  and  the  deep-sea-lead-line  overhauled  and  got 
ready.  Our  spirits  returned  with  having  something  to  do  ; 
and  when  the  tackle  was  manned  to  bowse  the  anchor 
home,  notwithstanding  the  desolation  of  the  scene,  we 
struck  up  “ Cheerily  ho  ! ” in  full  chorus.  This  pleased 
the  mate,  who  rubbed  his  hands  and  cried  out — “That’s 
right,  my  boys  ; never  say  die  ! That  sounds  like  the  old 
crew  ! ” and  the  captain  came  up,  on  hearing  the  song,  and 
said  to  the  passenger,  within  hearing  of  the  man  at  the 
wheel, — “ That  sounds  like  a lively  crew.  They’ll  have 
their  song  so  long  as  there’re  enough  left  for  a chorus  !” 

This  preparation  of  the  cable  and  anchors  was  for  the 
passage  of  the  straits  ; for,  being  very  crooked,  and  with  a 
variety  of  currents,  it  is  necessary  to  come  frequently  to 
anchor.  This  was  not,  by  any  means,  a pleasant  prospect. 


298  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

far,  of  all  the  work  that  a sailor  is  called  upon  to  do  in 
cold  weather,  there  is  none  so  bad  as  working  the  ground 
tackle.  The  heavy  chain  cables  to  be  hauled  and  pulled 
about  decks  with  bare  hands  ; wet  hawsers,  slip-ropes,  and 
buoy-ropes  to  be  hauled  aboard,  dripping  in  water,  which 
is  running  up  your  sleeves,  and  freezing  ; clearing  hawse 
under  the  bows  ; getting  under  weigh  and  coming-to,  at 
all  hours  of  the  night  and  day,  and  a constant  look-out  for 
rocks  and  sands  and  turns  of  tides  ; — these  are  some  of 
the  disagreeables  of  such  a navigation  to  a common  sailor. 
Fair  or  foul,  he  wants  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
ground-tackle  between  port  and  port.  One  of  our  hands, 
too,  had  unluckily  fallen  upon  a half  of  an  old  newspaper 
which  contained  an  account  of  the  passage,  through  the 
straits,  of  a Boston  brig,  called,  I think,  the  Peruvian,  in 
which  she  lost  every  cable  and  anchor  she  had,  got  aground 
twice,  and  arrived  at  Valparaiso  in  distress.  This  was  set 
off  against  the  account  of  the  A.  J.  Donelson,  and  led  us 
to  look  forward  with  less  confidence  to  the  passage, 
especially  as  no  one  on  board  had  ever  been  through,  and 
the  captain  had  no  very  perfect  charts.  However,  we  were 
spared  any  further  experience  on  the  point ; for  the  next 
day,  when  we  must  have  been  near  the  Cape  of  Pillars, 
which  is  the  southwest  point  of  the  mouth  of  the  straits, 
a gale  set  in  from  the  eastward,  with  a heavy  fog,  so  that  we 
could  not  see  half  of  the  ship’s  length  ahead.  This,  of 
course,  put  an  end  to  the  project,  for  the  present ; for  a 
thick  fog  and  a gale  blowing  dead  ahead  are  not  the  most 
favorable  circumstances  for  the  passage  of  difficult  and 
dangerous  straits.  This  weather,  too,  seemed  likely  to  last 
for  some  time,  and  we  could  not  think  of  beating  about  the 
mouth  of  the  straits  for  a week  or  two,  waiting  for  a favor- 
able opportunity  ; so  we  braced  up  on  the  larboard  tack, 
put  the  ship’s  head  due  south,  and  stuck  her  off  for  Cape 
Horn  again. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


299 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

In  our  first  attempt  to  double  the  Cape,  when  we  came 
up  to  the  latitude  of  it,  we  were  nearly  seventeen  hundred 
miles  to  the  westward,  but,  in  running  for  the  straits  of 
Magellan  we  stood  so  far  to  the  eastward,  that  we  made 
our  second  at  a distance  of  not  more  than  four  or  five 
hundred  miles  ; and  we  had  great  hopes,  by  this  means,  to 
run  clear  of  the  ice  ; thinking  that  the  easterly  gales, 
which  had  prevailed  for  a long  time,  would  have  driven  it 
to  the  westward.  With  the  wind  about  two  points  free,  the 
yards  braced  in  a little,  and  two  close-reefed  top-sails  and 
a reefed  fore-sail  on  the  ship,  we  made  great  way  toward 
the  southward ; and,  almost  every  watch,  when  we  came 
on  deck,  the  air  seemed  to  grow  colder,  and  the  sea  to  run 
higher.  Still,  we  saw  no  ice,  and  had  great  hopes  of  go- 
ing clear  of  it  altogether,  when,  one  afternoon,  about  three 
o’clock,  while  we  were  taking  a siesta  during  our  watch  be- 
low, “ All  hands  ! ” was  called  in  a loud  and  fearful  voice. 
“ Tumble  up  here,  men! — tumble  up  ! — don’t  stop  for  your 
clothes — before  we’re  upon  it  ! ” We  sprang  out  of  our 
berths  and  hurried  upon  deck.  The  loud,  sharp  voice  of 
the  captain  was  heard  giving  orders,  as  though  for  life 
or  death,  and  we  ran  aft  to  the  braces,  not  waiting  to 
look  ahead,  for  not  a moment  was  to  be  lost.  The  helm 
was  hard  up,  the  after  yards  shaking,  and  the  ship  in  the 
act  of  wearing.  Slowly,  with  the  stiff  ropes  and  iced  rig- 
ging, we  swung  the  yards  round,  everything  coming  hard 
and  with  a creaking  and  rending  sound,  like  pulling  up  a 
plank  which  has  been  frozen  into  the  ice.  The  ship  wore 
round  fairty,  the  yards  were  steadied,  and  we  stood  off  on 
the  other  tack,  leaving  behind  us,  directly  under  our 
larboard  quarter,  a large  ice  island,  peering  out  of  the 
mist,  and  reaching  high  above  our  tops,  while  astern ; and 
on  either  side  of  the  island,  large  tracts  of  field-ice  were 
dimly  seen,  heaving  and  rolling  in  the  sea.  We  were  now 
safe,  and  standing  to  the  northward  , but,  in  a few  minutes 
more,  had  it  not  been  for  the  sharp  look-out  of  the  watch, 
we  should  have  been  fairly  upon  the  ice,  and  left  our  ship’s 
old  bones  adrift  in  the  Southern  ocean.  After  standing 


300 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

to  the  northward  a few  hours,  we  wore  ship,  and,  the  wind 
having  hauled,  we  stood  to  the  southward  and  eastward. 
All  night  long,  a bright  look-out  was  kept  from  every  part 
of  the  deck  ; and  whenever  ice  was  seen  on  the  one  bow 
or  the  other,  the  helm  was  shifted  and  the  yards  braced, 
and  by  quick  working  of  the  ship  she  was  kept  clear. 
The  accustomed  cry  of  “ Ice  ahead  ! ” — “ Ice  on  the  lee 
bow  ! ” — “ Another  island  ! ” in  the  same  tones,  and  with 
the  same  orders  following  them,  seemed  to  bring  us  directly 
back  to  our  old  position  of  the  week  before.  During  our 
watch  on  deck,  which  was  from  twelve  to  four,  the  wind 
came  out  ahead,  with  a pelting  storm  of  hail  and  sleet,  and 
we  lay  hove-to,  under  a close-reefed  fore  top-sail,  the  whole 
watch.  During  the  next  watch  it  fell  calm,  with  a drench- 
ing rain,  until  daybreak,  when  the  wind  came  out  to  the 
westward,  and  the  weather  cleared  up,  and  showed  us  the 
whole  ocean,  in  the  course  which  we  should  have  steered, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  head  wind  and  calm,  completely 
blocked  up  with  ice.  Here  then  our  progress  was  stopped, 
and  we  wore  ship,  and  once  more  stood  to  the  northward 
and  eastward  ; not  for  the  straits  of  Magellan,  but  to 
make  another  attempt  to  double  the  Cape,  still  farther  to 
the  eastward  ; for  the  captain  was  determined  to  get  round 
if  perseverance  could  do  it,  and  the  third  time,  he  said, 
never  failed. 

With  a fair  wind  we  soon  ran  clear  of  the  field-ice,  and 
by  noon  had  only  the  stray  island  floating  far  and  near 
upon  the  ocean.  The  sun  was  out  bright,  the  sea  of  a 
deep  blue,  fringed  with  the  white  foam  of  the  waves  which 
ran  high  before  a strong  southwester  ; our  solitary  ship 
tore  on  through  the  water  as  though  glad  to  be  out  of  her 
confinement  ; and  the  ice  islands  lay  scattered  upon  the 
ocean  here  and  there,  of  various  sizes  and  shapes,  reflect- 
the  bright  rays  of  the  sun,  and  drifting  slowly  northward 
before  the  gale.  It  was  a contrast  to  much  that  we  had 
lately  seen,  and  a spectacle  not  only  of  life  ; for  it  required 
but  little  fancy  to  imagine  these  islands  to  be  animate 
masses  which  had  broken  loose  from  the  “ thrilling  regions 
of  thick-ribbed  ice,”  and  were  working  their  way,  by  wind 
and  current,  some  alone,  and  some  in  fleets,  to  milder 
climes.  No  pencil  has  ever  yet  given  anything  like  the 
true  effect  of  an  iceberg.  In  a picture,  they  are  huge. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


301 


uncouth  masses,  stuck  in  the  sea,  while  their  chief  beauty 
and  grandeur, — their  slow,  stately  motion  ; the  whirling  of 
the  snow  about  their  summits,  and  the  fearful  groaning  and 
cracking  of  their  parts, — the  picture  cannot  give.  This  is 
the  large  iceberg;  while  the  small  and  distant  islands,  float- 
ing on  the  smooth  sea,  in  the  light  of  a clear  day,  look 
like  little  floating  fairy  isles  of  sapphire. 

From  a northeast  course  we  gradually  hauled  to  the 
eastward,  and  after  sailing  about  two  hundred  miles,  which 
brought  us  as  near  to  the  western  coast  of  Terra  del  Fuego 
as  was  safe,  and  having  lost  sight  of  the  ice  altogether, — 
for  the  third  time  we  put  the  ship’s  head  to  the  southward, 
to  try  the  passage  of  the  Cape.  The  weather  continued 
clear  and  cold,  with  a strong  gale  from  the  westward,  and 
we  were  fast  getting  up  with  the  latitude  of  the  Cape,  with 
a prospect  of  soon  being  round.  One  fine  afternoon,  a 
man  who  had  gone  into  the  foretop  to  shift  the  rolling 
tackles,  sung  out,  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  and  with  evident 
glee, — “ Sail  ho  ! ” Neither  land  nor  sail  had  we  seen 
since  leaving  San  Diego  ; and  any  one  who  has  traversed 
the  length  of  a whole  ocean  alone,  can  imagine  what  an 
excitement  such  an  announcement  produced  on  board. 
“ Sail  ho  ! ” shouted  the  cook,  jumping  out  of  his  galley ; 
“ Sail  ho  ! ” shouted  a man,  throwing  back  the  slide  of  the 
scuttle,  to  the  watch  below,  who  were  soon  out  of  their 
berths  and  on  deck ; and  “ Sail  ho  ! ” shouted  the  captain 
down  the  companion-way  to  the  passenger  in  the  cabin. 
Beside  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a ship  and  human  beings  in 
so  desolate  a place,  it  was  important  for  us  to  speak  a 
vessel,  to  learn  whether  there  was  ice  to  the  eastward,  and 
to  ascertain  the  longitude  ; for  we  had  no  chronometer,  and 
had  been  drifting  about  so  long  that  we  had  nearly  lost 
out  reckoning,  and  opportunities  for  lunar  observation  are 
not  frequent  or  sure  in  such  a place  as  Cape  Horn.  For 
these  various  reasons,  the  excitement  in  our  little  commu- 
nity was  running  high,  and  conjectures  were  made,  and 
everything  thought  of  for  which  the  captain  would  hail, 
when  the  man  aloft  sung  out — “ Another  sail,  large  on  the 
weather  bow  ! ” This  was  a little  odd,  but  so  much  the 
better,  and  did  not  shake  our  faith  in  their  being  sails. 
At  length  the  man  in  the  top  hailed,  and  said  he  believed 
\t  was  land,  after  all.  “ Land  in  your  eye  ! ” said  the 


302 


TWO  YEARS  BE  TORE  THE  MAST 


mate,  who  was  looking  through  the  telescope  ; “ they  are 
ice  islands,  if  I can  see  a hole  through  a ladder;  ” and  a 
few  moments  showed  the  mate  to  be  right ; and  all  our  ex- 
pectations fled ; and  instead  of  what  we  most  wished  to  see, 
we  had  what  we  most  dreaded,  and  what  we  hoped  we  had 
seen  the  last  of.  We  soon,  however,  left  these  astern,  hav- 
ing passed  within  about  two  miles  of  them  ; and  at  sun- 
down the  horizon  was  clear  in  all  directions. 

Having  a fine  wind,  we  were  soon  up  with  and  passed 
the  latitude  of  the  Cape,  and  having  stood  far  enough  to 
the  southward  to  give  it  a wide  berth,  we  began  to  stand 
to  the  eastward,  with  a good  prospect  of  being  round  and 
steering  to  the  northward  on  the  other  side,  in  a very  few 
days.  But  ill  luck  seemed  to  have  lighted  upon  us.  Not 
four  hours  had  we  been  standing  on  in  this  course,  before 
it  fell  dead  calm  ; and  in  half  an  hour  it  clouded  up  ; a 
few  straggling  blasts,  with  spits  of  snow  and  sleet,  came 
from  the  eastward  ; and  in  an  hour  more,  we  lay  hove-to 
under  a close-reefed  main  top-sail,  drifting  bodily  off  to 
leeward  before  the  fiercest  storm  that  we  had  yet  felt, 
blowing  dead  ahead,  from  the  eastward.  It  seemed  as 
though  the  genius  of  the  place  had  been  roused  at  finding 
that  we  had  nearly  slipped  through  his  fingers,  and  had 
come  upon  us  with  tenfold  fury.  The  sailors  said  that 
every  blast,  as  it  shook  the  shrouds,  and  whistled  through 
he  rigging,  said  to  the  old  ship,  “ No,  you  don’t ! ” — “ No, 
you  don’t ! ” 

For  eight  days  we  lay  drifting  about  in  this  manner. 
Sometimes, — generally  towards  noon, — it  fell  calm  ; once 
or  twice  a round  copper  ball  showed  itself  for  a few  mo- 
ments in  the  place  where  tfye  sun  ought  to  have  been ; and 
a puff  or  two  came  from  th  westward,  giving  some  hope 
that  a fair  wind  had  come  at  last.  During  the  first  two 
days,  we  made  sail  for  these  puffs,  shaking  the  reefs  out 
of  the  top-sails  and  boarding  the  tacks  of  the  courses  ; but 
finding  that  it  only  made  work  for  us  when  the  gale  set 
in  again,  it  was  soon  given  up,  and  we  lay-to  under  out 
close-reefs.  We  had  less  snow  and  hail  than  when  we 
were  farther  to  the  westward,  but  we  had  an  abundance  of 
what  is  worse  to  a sailor  in  cold  weather — drenching  rain. 
Snow  is  blinding,  and  very  bad  when  coming  upon  a 
toast,  but,  for  genuine  discomfort,  give  me  rain  with  freez- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


3°3 


ing  weather.  A snow-storm  is  exciting,  and  it  does  not 
wet  through  the  clothes  (which  is  important  to  a sailor) ; 
but  a constant  rain  there  is  no  escaping  from.  It  wets  to 
the  skin,  and  makes  all  protection  vain.  We  had  long 
ago  run  through  all  our  dry  clothes,  and  as  sailors  have 
no  other  way  of  drying  them  than  by  the  sun,  we  had 
nothing  to  do  but  to  put  on  those  which  were  the  least 
wet.  At  the  end  of  each  watch,  when  we  came  below, 
we  took  off  our  clothes  and  wrung  them  out ; two  taking 
hold  of  a pair  of  trowsers, — one  at  each  end, — and  jackets 
Sn  the  same  way.  Stockings,  mittens,  and  all,  were  wrung 
out  also,  and  then  hung  up  to  drain  and  chafe  dry  against  the 
bulkheads.  Then,  feeling  of  all  our  clothes,  we  picked  out 
those  which  were  the  least  wet,  and  put  them  on,  so  as  to 
be  ready  for  a call,  and  turned-in,  covered  ourselves  up 
with  blankets,  and  slept  until  three  knocks  on  the  scut- 
tle and  the  dismal  sound  of  “ All  starbowlines  ahoy  ! 
Eight  bells,  there  below ! Do  you  hear  the  news  ? ” 
drawled  out  from  on  deck,  and  the  sulky  answer  of  “ Aye, 
aye  ! ” from  below,  sent  us  up  again. 

On  deck,  all,  was  as  dark  as  a pocket,  and  either  a 
dead  calm,  with  the  rain  pouring  steadily  down,  or,  more 
generally,  a violent  gale  dead  ahead  with  rain  pelting 
horizontally,  and  occasional  variations  of  hail  and  sleet ; 
— deck  afloat  with  water  swashing  from  side  to  side,  and 
constantly  wet  feet ; for  boots  could  not  be  wrung  out 
like  drawers,  and  no  composition  could  stand  the  constant 
soaking.  In  fact,  wet  and  cold  feet  are  inevitable  in  such 
weather,  and  are  not  the  least  of  those  little  items  which 
go  to  make  up  the  grand  total  of  the  discomforts  of  a 
winter  passage  round  the  Cape.  Few  words  were  spoken 
between  the  watches  as  they  shifted,  the  wheel  was  re- 
lieved, the  mate  took  his  place  on  the  quarter-deck,  the 
look-outs  in  the  bows  ; and  each  man  had  his  narrow 
space  to  walk  fore  and  aft  in,  or,  rather,  to  swing  himself 
forward  and  back  in,  from  one  belaying  pin  to  another, — 
for  the  decks  were  too  slippery  with  ice  and  water  to  al- 
low of  much  walking.  To  make  a walk,  which  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  pass  away  the  time,  one  of  us  hit  upon 
the  expedient  of  sanding  the  deck  ; and  afterwards,  when- 
ever the  rain  was  not  so  violent  as  to  wash  it  off,  the 
weatherside  of  the  quarter-deck,  and  a part  of  the  waist 


3°4 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


and  forecastle  were  sprinkled  with  the  sand  which  we  had 
on  board  for  holystoning ; and  thus  we  made  a good  pro- 
menade, where  we  walked  fore  and  aft,  two  and  two,  hour, 
after  hour,  in  our  long,  dull,  and  comfortless  watches. 
The  bells  seemed  to  be  an  hour  or  two  apart,  instead  of 
half  an  hour,  and  an  age  to  elapse  before  the  welcome 
sound  of  eight  bells.  The  sole  object  was  to  make  the 
time  pass  on.  Any  change  was  sought  for,  which  would 
break  the  monotony  of  the  time ; and  even  the  two  hours’ 
trick  at  the  wheel,  which  came  round  to  each  of  us,  in  turn, 
once  in  every  other  watch,  was  looked  upon  as  a relief. 
Even  the  never-failing  resource  of  long  yarns,  which  eke 
out  many  a watch,  seemed  to  have  failed  us  now  ; for  we 
had  been  so  long  together  that  we  had  heard  each  other’s 
stories  told  over  and  over  again,  till  we  had  them  by 
heart ; each  one  knew  the  whole  history  of  each  of  the 
others,  and  we  were  fairly  and  literally  talked  out.  Sing- 
ing and  joking,  we  were  in  no  humor  for,  and,  in  fact,  any 
sound  of  mirth  or  laughter  would  have  struck  strangely 
upon  our  ears,  and  would  not  have  been  tolerated,  any 
more  than  whistling,  or  a wind  instrument.  The  last  re- 
sort, that  of  speculating  upon  the  future,  seemed  now  to  fail 
us,  for  our  discouraging  situation,  and  the  danger  we 
were  really  in  (as  we  expected  every  day  to  find  ourselves 
drifted  back  among  the  ice)  “ clapped  a stopper”  upon  all 
that.  From  saying — “ when  we  get  home  ” — we  began  in- 
sensibly to  alter  it  to — “if  we  get  home  ” — and  at  last  the 
subject  was  dropped  by  a tacit  consent.  In  this  state  of 
things,  a new  light  was  struck  out,  and  a new  field  opened, 
by  a change  in  the  watch.  One  of  our  watch,  was  laid  up 
for  two  or  three  days  by  a bad  hand,  (for  in  cold  weather 
the  least  cut  or  bruise  ripens  into  a sore,)  and  his  place 
was  supplied  by  the  carpenter.  This  was  a windfall, 
and  there  was  quite  a contest,  Who  should  have  the  carpen- 
ter to  walk  with  him.  As  “ Chips  ” was  a man  of  some  little 
education,  and  he  and  I had  had  a good  deal  of  intercourse 
with  each  other,  he  fell  in  with  me  in  my  walk.  He  was 
a Fin,  but  spoke  English  very  well,  and  gave  me  long  ac- 
counts of  his  country  ; — the  customs,  the  trade,  the  towns, 
what  little  he  knew  of  the  government,  (I  found  he  was  no 
friend  to  Russia,)  his  voyages,  his  first  arrival  in  America, 
his  marriage  and  courtship he  had  married  a country 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


3°  5 


woman  of  his,  a dressmaker,  whom  he  met  with  in  Boston.  I 
had  very  little  to  tell  him  of  my  quiet,  sedentary  life  at  home  ; 
and  in  spite  of  our  best  efforts,  which  had  protracted  these 
yarns  through  five  or  six  watches,  we  fairly  talked  one  an- 
other out,  and  I turned  him  over  to  another  man  in  the 
watch,  and  put  myself  upon  my  own  resources. 

I commenced  a deliberate  system  of  time-killing,  which 
united  some  profit  with  a cheering  up  of  the  heavy  hours. 
As  soon  as  I came  on  deck,  and  took  my  place  and 
regular  walk,  I began  with  repeating  over  to  myself 
a string  of  matters  which  I had  in  my  memory,  in  reg- 
ular order.  First,  the  multplication  table  and  the  tables  of 
weights  and  measures  ; then  the  states  of  the  Union,  with 
their  capitals ; the  counties  of  England,  with  their  shire 
towms  ; the  kings  of  England  in  their  order ; and  a large 
part  of  the  peerage,  which  I committed  from  an  almanac 
that  we  had  on  board  ; and  then  the  Kanaka  numerals. 
This  carried  me  through  my  facts,  and  being  repeated 
deliberately  with  long  intervals,  often  eked  out  the  two  first 
bells.  Then  came  the  ten  commandments ; the  thirty- 
ninth  chapter  of  Job,  and  a few  other  passages  from 
Scripture.  The  next  in  the  order,  that  I never  varied 
from,  came  Cowper’s  Castaway,  which  was  a great 
favorite  with  me ; the  solemn  measure  and  gloomy 
character  of  which,  as  well  as  the  incident  that  it  was 
founded  upon,  made  it  well  suited  to  a lonely  watch 
at  sea.  Then  his  lines  to  Mary,  his  address  to  the  jack  daw, 
and  a short  extract  from  Table  Talk  ; (I  abounded  in 
Cowper,  for  I happened  to  have  a volume  of  his  poems 
in  my  chest ; ) lt  Ille  et  nefasto  ” from  Horace,  and  Goethe’s 
Erl  King.  After  I had  got  through  these,  I allowed  my- 
self a more  general  range  among  everything  that  I could 
remember,  both  in  prose  and  verse.  In  this  way,  with  an 
occasional  break  by  relieving  the  wheel,  heaving  the  log, 
and  going  to  the  scuttle-butt  for  a drink  of  water,  the 
longest  watch  was*  passed  away ; and  I was  so  regular  in 
my  silent  recitations,  that. if  there  was  no  interruption  by 
ship’s  duty,  I could  tell  very  nearly  the  number  of  bells 
by  my  progress. 

• Our  watches  below  were  no  more  varied  than  the  watch 
xm  deck.  All  washing,  sewing,  and  reading  was  given  up; 
and  we  did  nothing  Let  cat,  sleep,  and  stand  our  watch, 


TWO  years  be  tore  the  mast. 


306 

leading  what  might  be  called  a Cape  Horn  life.  The  fore* 
castle  was  too  uncomfortable  to  sit  up  in ; and  whenever 
we  were  below,  we  were  in  our  berths.  To  prevent  the 
rain,  and  the  sea-water  which  broke  over  the  bows,  from 
washing  down,  we  were  obliged  to  keep  the  scuttle  closed, 
so  that  the  forecastle  was  nearly  air-tight.  In  this  little, 
wet,  leaky  hole,  we  were  all  quartered  in  an  atmosphere 
so  bad  that  our  lamp,  which  swung  in  the  middle  from  the 
beams,  sometimes  actually  burned  blue,  with  a large  circle 
of  foul  air  about  it.  Still,  I was  never  in  better  health  than 
after  three  weeks  of  this  life.  I gained  a great  deal  of 
flesh,  and  we  all  ate  like  horses.  At  every  watch,  when 
we  came  below,  before  turning-in,  the  bread  barge  and 
beef  kid  were  overhauled.  Each  man  drank  his  quart  of 
hot  tea  night  and  morning  ; and  glad  enough  we  were  to 
get  it,  for  no  nectar  and  ambrosia  were  sweeter  to  the  lazy 
immortals,  than  was  a pot  of  hot  tea,  a hard  biscuit,  and  a 
slice  of  cold  salt  beef,  to  us  after  a watch  on  deck.  To  be 
sure,  we  were  mere  animals,  and  had  this  life  lasted  a year 
instead  of  a month,  we  should  have  been  little  better  than 
the  ropes  in  the  ship.  Not  a razor,  nor  a brush,  nor  a drop 
of  water,  except  the  rain  and  the  spray,  had  come  near  us 
all  the  time ; for  we  were  on  an  allowance  of  fresh  water; 
and  who  would  strip  and  wash  himself  in  salt  water  on 
deck,  in  the  snow  and  ice,  with  the  thermometer  at  zero  ? 

After  about  eight  days  of  constant  easterly  gales,  the 
wind  hauled  occasionally  a little  to  the  southward,  and 
blew  hard,  which,  as  we  were  well  to  the  southward,  al- 
lowed us  to  brace  in  a little  and  stand  on,  under  all  the 
sail  we  could  carry.  These  turns  lasted  but  a short  while, 
and  sooner  or  later  it  set  in  again  from  the  old  quarter ; 
yet  at  each  time  we  made  something,  and  were  gradually 
edging  along  to  the  eastward.  One  night,  after  one  of 
these  shifts  of  the  wind,  and  when  all  hands  had  been  up 
a great  part  of  the  time,  our  watch  was  left  on  deck,  with 
the  main-sail  hanging  in  the  buntlines,  ready  to  be  set  if 
necessary.  It  came  on  to  blow  worse  and  worse,  with  hail 
and  snow  beating  like  so  many  furies  upon  the  ship,  it  be- 
ing as  dark  and  thick  as  night  could  make  it.  The  main- 
sail was  blowing  and  slatting  with  a noise  like  thunder, 
when  the  captain  came  on  deck,  and  ordered  it  to  be  furled. 
The  mate  was  about  to  call  all  hands,  when  the  captain 


Tiro  YEARS  retort:  the  mast. 


3°7 


stopped  him,  and  said  that  the  men  would  be  beaten  out 
if  they  were  called  tip  so  often ; that  as  our  watch  must 
stay  on  deck,  it  might  as  well  be  doing  that  as  anything 
else.  Accordingly,  we  went  upon  the  yard ; and  never 
shall  I forget  that  piece  of  work.  Our  watch  had  been  so 
reduced  by  sickness,  and  by  some  having  been  left  in  Cali- 
fornia, that,  with  one  man  at  the  wheel,  we  had  only  the 
third  mate  and  three  beside  myself  to  go  aloft ; so  that,  at 
most,  we  could  only  attempt  to  furl  one  yard-arm  at  a time. 
We  manned  the  weather  yard-arm,  and  set  to  work  to  make 
a furl  of  it.  Our  lower  masts  being  short,  and  our  yards 
very  square,  the  sail  had  a head  of  nearly  fifty  feet,  and  a 
short  leach,  made  still  shorter  by  the  deep  reef  which  was 
in  it,  which  brought  the  clue  away  out  on  the  quarters  of 
the  yard,  and  made  a bunt  nearly  as  square  as  the  mizen 
royal-yard.  Beside  this  difficulty,  the  yard  over  which  we 
lay  was  cased  with  ice,  the  gaskets  and  rope  of  the  foot 
and  leach  of  the  sail  as  stiff  and  hard  as  a piece  of  of  suc- 
tion-hose, and  the  sail  itself  about  as  pliable  as  though  it 
had  been  made  of  sheets  of  sheathing  copper.  It  blew  a 
perfect  hurricane,  with  alternate  blasts  of  snow,  hail,  and 
rain.  We  had  to  fist  the  sail  with  bare  hands.  No  one 
could  trust  himself  to  mittens,  for  if  he  slipped,  he  was  a 
gone  man.  All  the  boats  were  hoisted  in  on  deck,  and 
there  was  nothing  to  be  lowered  for  him.  We  had  need  of 
every  finger  God  had  given  us.  Several  times  we  got  the 
sail  upon  the  yard,  but  it  blew  away  again  before  we  could 
secure  it.  It  required  men  to  lie  over  the  yard  to  pass 
each  turn  of  the  gaskets,  and  when  they  were  passed,  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  knot  them  so  that  they  would 
hold.  Frequently  we  were  obliged  to  leave  off  altogether 
and  take  to  beating  our  hands  upon  the  sail,  to  keep  them 
from  freezing.  After  some  time, — which  seemed  forever, 
— we  got  the  weather  side  stowed  after  a fashion,  and  went 
over  to  leeward  for  another  trial.  This  was  still  worse, 
for  the  body  of  the  sail  had  been  blown  over  to  leeward, 
as  the  yard  was  a-cock-bill  by  the  lying  over  of  the  ves- 
sel, we  had  to  light  it  all  up  to  windward.  When  the  yard- 
arms were  furled,  the  bunt  was  all  adrift  again,  which  made 
more  work  for  us.  We  got  all  secure  at  last,  but  we  had 
been  nearly  an  hour  and  a half  upon  the  yard,  and  it 
seemed  an  age.  It  had  just  struck  five  bells  when  we  went 


joS  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TEE  MAST. 

up,  and  eight  were  struck  soon  after  we  came  down.  This 
may  seem  slow  work  ; but  considering  the  state  of  every- 
thing, and  that  we  had  only  five  men  to  a sail  with  just 
half  as  many  square  yards  of  canvas  in  it  as  the  main-sail 
of  the  Independence,  sixty-gun  ship,  which  musters  seven 
hundred  men  at  her  quarters,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  we 
were  no  quicker  about  it.  We  were  glad  enough  to  get  on 
deck,  and  still  more,  to  go  below.  The  oldest  sailor  in  the 
watch  said,  as  he  went  down, — “ I shall  never  forget  that 
main  yard; — it  beat  all  my  going  a fishing.  Fun  is  fun, 
but  furling  one  yard-arm  of  a course,  at  a time,  off  Cape 
Horn,  is  no  better  than  man-killing.” 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  next  two  days,  the  wind 
was  pretty  steady  from  the  southward.  We  had  evidently 
made  great  progress,  and  had  good  hope  of  being  soon  up 
with  the  Cape,  if  we  were  not  there  already.  We  could 
put  but  little  confidence  in  our  reckoning,  as  there  had 
been  no  opportunities  for  an  observation,  and  we  had  drifted 
too  much  to  allow  of  our  dead  reckoning  being  anywhere 
near  the  mark.  If  it  would  clear  off  enough  to  give  a 
chance  for  an  observation,  or  if  we  could  made  land,  we 
should  know  where  we  were  ; and  upon  these,  and  the 
chances  of  falling  in  with  a sail  from  the  eastward,  we  de- 
pended almost  entirely. 

' Friday,  July  22 d.  This  day  we  had  a steady  gale  from 
the  southward,  and  stood  on  under  close  sail,  with  the 
yards  eased  a little  by  the  weather  braces,  the  clouds  lifting 
a little,  and  showing  signs  of  breaking  away.  In  the  after- 
noon, I was  below  with  Mr.  H , the  third  mate,  and 

two  others,  filling  the  bread  locker  in  the  steerage  from 
the  casks,  when  a bright  gleam  of  sunshine  broke  out  and 
shone  down  the  companion-way  and  through  the  skylight, 
lighting  up  everything  below,  and  sending  a warm  glow 
through  the  hearts  of  every  one.  It  was  a sight  we  had 
not  seen  for  weeks, — an  omen,  a god-send.  Even  the 
ronghest  and  hardest  face  acknowledged  its  influence. 
Just  at  that  moment  we  heard  a loud  shout  from  all  parts 
of  the  deck,  and  the  mate  called  out  down  the  companion- 
way  to  the  captain  who  was  sitting  in  the  cabin.  What 
he  said,  we  could  not  distinguish,  but  the  captain  kicked 
over  his  chair,  and  was  on  deck  at  one  jump.  We  could 
not  tell  what  it  was ; and,  anxious  as  we  were  to  know,  the 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


3°9 


discipline  of  the  ship  would  not  allow  of  our  leaving  our 
places.  Yet,  as  we  were  not  called,  we  knew  there  was 
no  danger.  We  hurried  to  get  through  with  our  job,  when, 
seeing  the  steward’s  black  face  peering  out  of  the  pantry, 

Mr.  H hailed  him,  to  know  what  was  the  matter. 

“ Lan’  o,  to  be  sure,  sir  ! No  you  hear  ’em  sing  out, 

‘ Lan  o ? ’ De  cap’em  say  ’im  Cape  Horn  ! ” 

This  gave  us  a new  start,  and  we  were  soon  through 
our  work,  and  on  deck  ; and  there  lay  the  land,  fair  upon 
the  larboard  beam,  and  slowly  edging  away  upon  the  quar- 
ter. All  hands  were  busy  looking  at  it, — the  captain  and 
mates  from  the  quarter-deck,  the  cook  from  his  galley,  and 
the  sailors  from  the  forecastle  ; and  even  Mr.  N.,  the  pas- 
senger, who  had  kept  in  his  shell  for  nearly  a month,  and 
hardly  been  seen  by  anybody,  and  who  we  had  almost  for- 
gotten was  on  board,  came  out  like  a butterfly,  and  was 
hopping  round  as  bright  as  a bird. 

The  land  was  the  island  of  Staten  Land,  just  to  the 
eastward  of  Cape  Horn  ; and  a more  desolate  looking  spot 
I never  wish  to  set  eyes  upon ; — bare,  broken,  and  girt 
with  rocks  and  ice,  with  here  and  there,  between  the  rocks 
and  broken  hillocks,  a little  stunted  vegetation  of  shrubs, 
It  was  a place  well  suited  to  stand  at  the  junction  of  the 
two  oceans,  beyond  the  reach  of  human  cultivation,  and 
encounter  the  blasts  and  snows  of  a perpetual  winter.  Yet, 
dismal  as  it  was,  it  was  a pleasant  sight  to  us  ; not  only  as 
being  the  first  land  we  had  seen,  but  because  it  told  us 
that  we  had  passed  the  Cape, — were  in  the  Atlantic, — and 
that,  with  twenty-four  hours  of  this  breeze,  might  bid  de- 
fiance to  the  Southern  ocean.  It  told  us,  too,  our  latitude 
and  longitude  better  than  any  observation  ; and  the  cap- 
tain  now  knew  where  we  were,  as  well  as  if  we  were  off  the 
end  of  Long  wharf. 

In  the  general  joy,  Mr.  N.  said  he  should  like  to  go 
ashore  upon  the  island  and  examine  a spot  which  probably 
no  human  being  had  ever  set  foot  upon  ; but  the  captain 
intimated  that  he*  would  see  the  island — specimens  and  all, 
— in  another  place,  before  he  would  get  out  a boat  or  de- 
lay the  ship  one  moment  for  him. 

We  left  the  land  gradually  astern ; and  at  sundown  had 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  clear  before  us. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


310 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

It  is  usual,  in  voyages  round  the  Cape  from  the  Paci- 
fic, to  keep  to  the  eastward  of  the  Falkland  Islands;  but 
as  it  had  now  set  in  a strong,  steady,  and  clear  south- 
wester,  with  every  prospect  of  its  lasting,  and  we  had  had 
enough  of  high  latitudes,  the  captain  determined  to  stand 
immediately  to  the  northward,  running  inside  the  Falk- 
land Islands.  Accordingly,  when  the  wheel  was  relieved 
at  eight  o’clock,  the  order  was  given  to  keep  her  due  north, 
and  all  hands  were  turned  up  to  square  away  the  yards  and 
make  sail.  In  a moment,  the  news  ran  through  the  ship 
that  the  captain  was  keeping  her  off,  with  her  nose  straight 
for  Boston,  and  Cape  Horn  over  her  taffrail.  It  was  a 
moment  of  enthusiasm.  Everyone  was  on  the  alert,  and 
even  the  two  sick  men  turned  out  to  lend  a hand  at  the 
halyards.  The  wind  was  now  due  southwest,  and  blowing 
a gale  to  which  a vessel  close  hauled  could  have  shown  no 
more  than  a single  close-reefed  sail ; but  as  we  were  going 
before  it,  we  could  carry  on.  Accordingly,  hands  were 
sent  aloft,  and  a reef  shaken  out  of  the  top-sails,  and  the 
reefed  fore-sail  set.  When  we  came  to  mast-head  the  top- 
sail yards,  with  alf  hands  at  the  halyards,  we  struck  up 
“ Cheerily,  men,”  with  a chorus  which  might  have  been 
heard  half  way  to  Staten  Land.  Under  her  increased  sail, 
the  ship  drove  on  through  the  water.  Yet  she  could  bear  it 
well  ; and  the  captain  sang  out  from  the  quarter-deck— 
“ Another  reef  out  of  that  fore  top-sail,  and  give  it  to  her  ! ” 
Two  hands  sprang  aloft ; the  frozen  reef  points  and  ear- 
ings  were  cast  adrift,  the  halyards  manned,  and  the  sail 
gave  out  her  increased  canvas  to  the  gale.  All  hands  were 
kept  on  deck  to  watch  the  effect  of  the  change.  It  was  as 
much  as  she  could  well  carry,  and  with  a heavy  sea  astern, 
it  took  two  men  at  the  wheel  to  steer  her.  She  flung  the 
foam  from  her  bows : the  spray  breaking  aft  as  far  as  the 
gangway.  She  was  going  at  a prodigious  rate.  Still, 
everything  held.  Preventer  braces  were  reeved  and  hauled 
taught ; tackles  got  upon  the  backstays  ; and  each  thing 
done  to  keep  all  snug  and  strong.  The  captain  walked 
the  deck  at  a rapid  stride,  looked  aloft  at  the  sails,  and  then 


TWO  YEAR'S  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


31 1 

to  windward  ; the  mate  stood  in  the  gangway,  rubbing  his 
hands,  and  talking  aloud  to  the  ship — “ Hurrah,  old 
bucket ! the  Boston  girls  have  got  hold  of  the  tow  rope  ! ” 
and  the  like  ; and  we  were  on  the  forecastle,  looking  to 
see  how  the  spars  stood  it,  and  guessing  the  rate  at  which 
she  was  going, — when  the  captain  called  out — “ Mr.  Brown, 
get  up  the  top-mast  studding-sail  ! What  she  can’t  carry 
she  may  drag  ! ” The  mate  looked  a moment  ; but  he 
would  let  no  man  be  before  him  in  daring.  He  sprang 
forward, — “ Hurrah,  men  ! rig  out  the  topmast  studding- 
sail  boom  ! Lay  aloft,  and  I’ll  send  the  rigging  up  to  you  ! ” 
— We  sprang  aloft  into  the  top  ; lowered  a girt  line  down, 
by  which  we  hauled  up  the  rigging  ; rove  the  tacks  and 
halyards  ; ran  out  the  boom  and  lashed  it  fast,  and  sent 
down  the  lower  halyards,  as  a preventer.  It  was  a clear 
starlight  night,  cold  and  blowing  ; but  everybody  worked 
with  a will.  Some,  indeed,  looked  as  though  they  thought 
the  “ old  man  ” was  mad,  but  no  one  said  a word.  We 
had  had  a new  top-mast  studding-sail  made  with  a reef  in 
it, — a thing  hardly  ever  heard  of,  and  which  the  sailors  had 
ridiculed  a good  deal,  saying  that  when  it  was  time  to  reef 
a studding-sail  it  was  time  to  take  it  in.  But  we  found  a 
use  for  it  now  ; for,  there  being  a reef  in  the  top- sail,  the 
studding-sail  could  not  be  set  without  one  in  it  also.  To 
be  sure,  a studding-sail  with  reefed  top-sails  was  rather  a 
new  thing  ; yet  there  was  some  reason  in  it,  for  if  we 
carried  that  away,  we  should  lose  only  a sail  and  a boom  ; 
but  a whole  top-sail  might  have  carried  away  the  mast  and 
all. 

While  wre  were  aloft,  the  sail  had  been  got  out,  bent  to 
the  yard,  reefed,  and  ready  for  hoisting.  Waiting  for  a 
good  opportunity,  the  halyards  were  manned  and  the  yard 
hoisted  fairly  up  to  the  block ; but  when  the  mate  came  to 
shake  the  catspaw’  out  of  the  downhaul,  and  we  began  to 
boom-end  the  sail,  it  shook  the  ship  to  her  centre.  The 
boom  buckled  up  and  bent  like  a whip-stick,  and  we 
looked  every  moment  to  see  something  go ; but,  being  of 
the  short,  tough,  upland  spruce,  it  bent  like  whalebone, 
and  nothing  could  break  it.  The  carpenter  said  it  wras  the 
best  stick  he  had  ever  seen.  The  strength  of  all  hands 
soon  brought  the  tack  to  the  boom  end,  and  the  sheet  was 
trimmed  down,  and  the  preventer  and  the  weather  bracr 


312 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


hauled  taught  to  take  off  the  strain.  Every  rope-yart? 
seemed  stretched  to  the  utmost,  and  every  thread  of  can- 
vas; and  with  this  sail  added  to  her,  the  ship  sprang 
through  the  water  like  a thing  possessed.  The  sail  being 
nearly  all  forward,  it  lifted  her  out  of  the  water,  and  she 
seemed  actually  to  jump  from  sea  to  sea.  From  the  time 
her  keel  was  laid,  she  had  never  been  so  driven  ; and  had 
it  been  life  or  death  with  every  one  of  us,  she  could  not 
have  borne  another  stitch  of  canvas. 

Finding  that  she  would  bear  the  sail,  the  hands  were 
sent  below,  and  our  watch  remained  on  deck.  Two  men 
at  the  wheel  had  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  keep  her 
within  three  points  of  her  course,  for  she  steered  as  wild  as 
a young  colt.  The  mate  walked  the  deck,  looking  at 
the  sails,  and  then  over  the  side  to  see  the  foam  fly  by  her, 
— slapping  his  hands  upon  his  thighs  and  talking  to  the 
ship — “ Hurrah,  you  jade,  you  *ve  got  the  scent ! — you 
know  where  you  ’re  going  ! ” And  when  she  leaped  over 
the  seas,  and  almost  out  of  the  water,  and  trembled  to 
her  very  keel,  the  spars  and  masts  snapping  and  creaking, 
“ There  she  goes ! — There  she  goes, — handsomely ! — As 
long  as  she  cracks  she  holds  ! ” — while  we  stood  with  the 
rigging  laid  down  fair  for  letting  go,  and  ready  to  take  in 
sail  and  clear  away,  if  anything  went.  At  four  bells  we 
hove  the  log,  and  she  was  going  eleven  knots  fairly ; and 
had  it  not  been  for  the  sea  from  aft  which  sent  the  chip 
home,  and  threw  her  continually  off  her  course,  the  log 
would  have  shown  her  to  have  been  going  much  faster.  I 
went  to  the  wheel  with  a young  fellow  from  the  Kennebec, 
who  was  a good  helmsman  ; and  for  two  hours  we  had  our 
hands  full.  A few  minutes  showed  us  that  our  monkey- 
jackets  must  come  off;  and  cold  as  it  was,  we  stood  in 
our  shirt-sleeves,  in  a perspiration  ; and  were  glad  enough 
to  have  it  eight  bells,  and  the  wheel  relieved.  We  turned- 
in  and  slept  as  well  as  we  could,  though  the  sea  made  a 
constant  roar  under  her  bows,  and  washed  over  the  fore- 
castle like  a small  cataract. 

At  four  o’clock,  we  were  called  again.  The  same  sail 
was  still  on  the  vessel,  and  the  gale,  if  there  was  any 
change,  had  increased  a little.  No  attempt  was  made  to 
take  the  studding-sail  in  ; and,  indeed,  it  was  too  late  now. 
If  we  had  started  anything  toward  taking  it  in,  either  tack 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


3^3 

or  halyards,  it  would  have  blown  to  pieces,  and  carried 
something  away  with  it.  The  only  way  now  was  to  let 
everything  stand,  and  if  the  gale  went  down,  well  and 
good ; if  not,  something  must  go — the  weakest  stick  or 
rope  first — and  then  we  could  get  it  in.  For  more  than 
an  hour  she  was  driven  on  at  such  a rate  that  she  seemed 
actually  to  crowd  the  sea  into  a heap  before  her ; and  the 
water  poured  over  the  sprit-sail  yard  as  it  would  over  a 
dam.  Toward  daybreak  the  gale  abated  a little,  and  she 
was  just  beginning  to  go  more  easily  along,  relieved  of  the 
pressure,  when  Mr.  Brown,  determined  to  give  her  no 
respite,  and  depending  upon  the  wind’s  subsiding  as  the 
sun  rose,  told  us  to  get  along  the  lower  studding-sail. 
This  was  an  immense  sail,  and  held  wind  enough  to  last  a 
Dutchman  a week, — hove-to.  It  was  soon  ready,  the 
boom  topped  up,  preventer  guys  rove,  and  the  idlers  called 
up  to  man  the  halyards ; yet  such  was  still  the  force  of  the 
gale,  that  we  were  nearly  an  hour  setting  the  sail;  carried 
away  the  outhaul  in  doing  it,  and  came  very  near  snapping 
off  the  swinging  boom.  No  sooner  was  it  set  than  the 
ship  tore  on  again  like  one  that  was  mad,  and  began  to 
steer  as  wild  as  a hawk.  The  men  at  the  wheel  were 
puffing  and  blowing  at  their  work,  and  the  helm  was 
going  hard  up  and  hard  down,  constantly.  Add  to  this, 
the  gale  did  not  lessen  as  the  day  came  on,  but  the  sun 
rose  in  clouds.  A sudden  lurch  threw  the  man  from  the 
weather  wheel  across  the  deck  and  against  the  side.  The 
mate  sprang  to  the  wheel,  and  the  man,  regaining  his  feet, 
seized  the  spokes,  and  they  hove  the  wheel  up  just  in  time 
to  save  her  from  broaching  to  ; though  nearly  half  the 
studding-sail  went  under  water  ; and  as  she  came  to,  the 
boom  stood  up  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees.  She  had 
evidently  more  on  her  than  she  could  bear ; yet  it  was  in 
vain  to  try  to  take  it  in — the  clewline  was  not  strong 
enough ; and  they  were  thinking  of  cutting  away,  when 
another  wide  yaw  and  a come-to,  snapped  the  guys,  and 
the  swinging  boom  came  in,  with  a crash,  against  the 
lower  rigging.  The  outhaul  block  gave  way,  and  the  top- 
mast studding-sail  boom  bent  in  a manner  which  I never 
before  supposed  a stick  could  bend.  I had  my  eye  on  it 
when  the  guys  parted,  and  it  made  one  spring  and  buckled 
up  so  as  to  form  nearly  a half  circle,  and  sprang  out  again 


3*4 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  .VAST. 


to  its  shape.  The  clewline  gave  way  at  the  first  pull ; the 
cleat  to  which  the  halyards  were  belayed  was  wrenched 
off,  and  the  sail  blew  round  the  sprit-sail  yard  and  head 
guys,  which  gave  us  a bad  job  to  get  it  in.  A half  hour 
served  to  clear  all  away,  and  she  was  suffered  to  drive  on 
with  her  top-mast  studding-sail  set,  it  being  as  much  as 
she  could  stagger  under. 

During  all  this  day  and  the  next  night,  we  went  on 
under  the  same  sail,  the  gale  blowing  with  undiminished 
force ; two  men  at  the  wheel  all  the  time ; watch  and 
watch,  and  nothing  to  do  but  to  steer  and  look  out  for  the 
ship,  and  be  blown  along ; — until  the  noon  of  the  next 
day — 

Sunday,  July  24 th,  when  we  were  in  latitude  50°  27'  S., 
longitude  62°  13'  W.,  having  made  four  degrees  of  latitude 
in  the  last  twenty-four  hours.  Being  now  to  the  northward 
of  the  Falkland  Islands,  the  ship  was  kept  off,  northeast, 
for  the  equator ; and  with  her  head  for  the  equator,  and 
Cape  Horn  over  her  taffrail,  she  went  gloriously  on  ; every 
heave  of  the  sea  leaving  the  Cape  astern,  and  every  hour 
bringing  us  nearer  to  home,  and  to  warm  weather.  Many 
a time,  when  blocked  up  in  the  ice,  with  everything  dis- 
mal and  discouraging  about  us,  had  we  said, — if  we  were 
only  fairly  round,  and  standing  north  on  the  other  side, 
we  should  ask  for  no  more  : — and  now  we  had  it  all,  with 
a clear  sea,  and  as  much  wind  as  a sailor  could  pray  for. 
If  the  best  part  of  a voyage  is  the  last  part,  surely  we  had 
all  now  that  we  could  wish.  Every  one  was  in  the  highest 
spirits,  and  the  ship  seemed  as  glad  as  any  of  us  at  getting 
out  of  her  confinement.  At  each  change  of  the  watch, 
those  coming  on  deck  asked  those  going  below — “ How 
does  she  go  along  ? ” and  got  for  answer,  the  rate,  and  the 
customary  addition — “ Aye  ! and  the  Boston  girls  have  had 
hold  of  the  tow-rope  all  the  watch,  and  can’t  haul  half  the 
slack  in  ! ” Each  day  the  sun  rose  higher  in  the  horizon, 
and  the  nights  grew  shorter ; and  at  coming  on  deck  each 
morning,  there  was  a sensible  change  in  the  temperature. 
The  ice,  too,  began  to  melt  from  off  the  rigging  and  spars, 
and,  except  a little  which  remained  in  the  tops  and  round 
the  hounds  of  the  lower  masts,  was  soon  gone.  As  we 
left  the  gale  behind  us,  the  reefs  were  shaken  out  of  the 
top-sails,  and  sail  made  as  fast  as  she  could  bear  it ; and 


THE  MAST. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE 


3XS 


every  time  all  hands  were  sent  to  the  halyards,  a song  was 
called  for,  and  we  hoisted  away  with  a will. 

Sail  after  sail  was  added,  as  we  drew  into  fine  weather ; 
and  in  one  week  after  leaving  Cape  Horn,  the  long  top- 
gallant masts  were  got  up,  top-gallant  and  royal  yards 
crossed,  and  the  ship  restored  to  her  fair  proportions. 

The  Southern  Cross  we  saw  no  more  after  the  first 
night ; the  Magellan  Clouds  settled  lower  and  lower  in  the 
horizon ; and  so  great  was  our  change  of  latitude  each 
succeeding  night,  that  we  sank  some  constellation  in  the 
south,  and  raised  another  in  the  northern  horizon. 

Sunday,  July  31  st.  At  noon  we  were  in  lat.  36°  41'  S,, 
long.  38°  08'  W.  ; having  traversed  the  distance  of  two 
thousand  miles,  allowing  for  changes  of  course,  in  nine 
days.  A thousand  miles  in  four  days  and  a half  ! — This  is 
equal  to  steam. 

Soon  after  eight  o’clock,  the  appearance  of  the  ship 
gave  evidence  that  this  was  the  first  Sunday  we  had  yet 
had  in  fine  weather.  As  the  sun  came  up  clear,  with  the 
promise  of  a fair,  warm  day,  and,  as  usual  on  Sunday, 
there  was  no  work  going  on,  all  hands  turned-to  upon 
clearing  out  the  forecastle.  The  wet  and  soiled  clothes 
which  had  accumulated  there  during  the  past  month,  were 
brought  up  on  deck ; the  chests  moved ; brooms,  buckets 
of  water,  swabs,  scrubbing-brushes,  and  scrapers  carried 
down,  and  applied,  until  the  forecastle  floor  was  as  white 
as  chalk,  and  everything  neat  and  in  order.  The  bedding 
from  the  berths  was  then  spread  on  deck,  and  dried,  and 
aired ; the  deck-tub  filled  with  water ; and  a grand  wash- 
ing began  of  all  the  clothes  which  were  brought  up.  Shirts, 
frocks,  drawers,  trowsers,  jackets,  stockings,  of  every  shape 
and  color,  wet  and  dirty — many  of  them  mouldy  from  having 
been  lying  a long  time  wet  in  a foul  corner — these  were  all 
washed  and  scrubbed  out,  and  finally  towed  overboard  for 
half  an  hour ; and  then  made  fast  in  the  rigging  to  dry. 
Wet  boots  and  shoes  were  spread  out  to  dry  in  sunny  places 
on  deck  ; and  the  whole  ship  looked  like  a back  yard  on  a 
washing  day.  After  we  had  done  with  our  clothes,  we 
began  upon  our  own  persons.  A little  fresh  water,  which 
we  had  saved  from  our  allowance,  was  put  in  buckets,  and, 
with  soap  and  towels,  we  had  what  sailors  call  a fresh- 
water wash.  The  same  bucket,  to  be  sure,  had  to  go 


316  TWO  years  before  tiie  mast. 

through  several  hands,  and  was  spoken  for  by  one  after 
another,  but  as  we  rinsed  off  in  salt  water,  pure  from  the 
ocean,  and  the  fresh  was  used  only  to  start  the  accumulated 
grime  and  blackness  of  five  weeks,  it  was  held  of  little 
consequence.  We  soaped  down  and  scrubbed  one  another 
with  towels  and  pieces  of  canvas,  stripping  to  it;  and 
(hen,  getting  into  the  head,  threw  buckets  of  water  upon 
each  other.  After  this,  came  shaving,  and  combing,  and 
brushing ; and  when,  having  spent  the  first  part  of  the 
day  in  this  way,  we  sat  down  on  the  forecastle,  in  the 
afternoon,  with  clean  duck  trowsers,  and  shirts  on,  washed, 
shaved,  and  combed,  and  looking  a dozen  shades  lighter 
for  it,  reading,  sewing,  and  talking  at  our  ease,  with  a 
clear  sky  and  warm  sun  over  our  heads,  a steady  breeze 
over  the  larboard  quarter,  studding-sails  out  alow  and 
aloft,  and  all  the  flying  kites  abroad  ; — we  felt4that  we  had 
got  back  into  the  pleasantest  part  of  a sailor’s  life.  At 
sundown  the  clothes  were  all  taken  down  from  the  rigging 
clean  and  dry — and  stowed  neatly  away  in  our  chests  ; and 
our  southwesters,  thick  boots,  guernsey  frocks,  and  other 
accompaniments  of  bad  weather,  put'  out  of  the  way,  we 
hoped,  for  the  rest  of  the  voyage,  as  we  expected  to  come 
upqn-the  coast  early  in  the  autumn. 

Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  about  the  beauty 
of  a ship  under  full  sail,  there  are  very  few  who  have  ever 
seen  a ship  literally,  under  all  her  sail.  A ship  coming 
in  or  going  out  of  port,  with  her  ordinary  sails,  and  per- 
haps, two  or  three  studding-sails,  is  commonly  said  to  be 
under  full  sail ; but  a ship  never  has  all  her  sail  upon  her, 
except  when  she  has  a light,  steady  breeze,  very  nearly, 
but  not  quite,  dead  aft,  and  so  regular  that  it  can  be 
trusted,  and  is  likely  to  last  for  some  time.  Then,  with 
all  her  sails,  light  and  heavy,  and  studding-sails,  on  each 
side,  alow  and  aloft,  she  is  the  most  glorious  moving  object 
in  the  world.  Such  a sight,  very  few,  even  some  who  have 
been  at  sea  a good  deal,  have  ever  beheld ; for  from  the 
deck  of  your  own  vessel  you  cannot  see  her,  as  you  would 
a separate  object. 

One  night,  while  we  were  in  these  tropics,  I went  out 
to  the  end  of  the  flying-jib-boom,  upon  some  duty,  and, 
having  finished  it,  turned  round,  and  lay  over  the  boom 
for  a long  time,  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  sight  before 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  2'J/E  MAST. 


3*7 

/Tic.  Being  so  far  out  from  the  deck,  I could  look  at  the 
ship,  as  at  a separate  vessel ; — and,  there,  rose  up  from 
the  water,  supported  only  by  the  small  black  hull,  a pyra- 
mid of  canvas,  spreading  out  far  beyond  the  .hull,  and 
towering  up  almost,  as  it  seemed  in  the  indistinct  night  air, 
to' the  clouds.  The  sea  was  as  still  as  an  inland  lake  ; the 
light  trade  wind  was  gently  and  steadily  breathing  from 
astern ; the  dark  blue  sky  was  studded  with  the  tropical 
stars ; there  was  no  sound  but  the  rippling  of  the  water 
under  the  stem  ; and  the  sails  were  spread  out,  wide  and 
high.;  the  two  lower  studding-sails  stretching,  on  each 
side,  far  beyond  the  deck  ; the  top-mast  studding-sails,  like 
wings  to  the  top-sails  ; the  top-gallant  studding-sails 
spreading  fearlessly  out  above  them  ; still  higher,  the  two 
royal  studding-sails,  looking  like  two  kites  flying  from  the 
same  string ; and  highest  of  all,  the  little  sky-sail,  the  apex 
of  the  pyramid,  seeming  actually  to  touch  the  stars,  and  to 
be  out  of  reach  of  human  hand.  So  quiet,  too,  was  the 
sea,  and  so  steady  the  breeze,  that  if  these  sails  had  been 
sculptured  marble,  they  could  not  have  been  more  motion- 
less. Not  a ripple  upon  the  surface  of  the  canvas  ; not 
even  a quivering  of  the  extreme  edges  of  the  sail — so  per- 
fectly were  they  distended  by  the  breeze.  I was  so  lost 
in  the  sight,  that  I forgot  the  presence  of  the  man  who 
came  out  with  me,  until  he  said,  (for  he  too,  rough  old 
man-of-war’s-man  as  he  was,  had  been  gazing  at  the  show,) 
half  to  himself,  still  looking  at  the  marble  sails — “ How 
quietly  they  do  their  work  ! ” 

The  fine  weather  brought  work  with  it*  as  the  ship  was 
to  be  put  in  order  for  coming  into  port.  This  may  give  a 
landsman  some  notion  -of  what  is  done  on  board  ship. — 
All  the  first  part  of  a passage  is  spent  in  getting  a ship, 
ready  for  sea,  and  the  last  part  in  getting  her  ready  for 
port.  She  is,  as  sailors  say,  like  a lady’s  watch,  always 
out  of  repair.  The  new,  strong  sails,  which  we  ha 3 
up  off  Cape  Horn,  were  to  be  sent  down,  and  the  old  set, 
which  were  still  serviceable  in  fine  weather,  to  be  bent  in‘ 
their  place , all  the  rigging  to  be  set  up,  fore  and  aft ; the 
masts  stayed  ; the  standing  rigging  to  be  tarred  down  ; 
lower  and  top“-mast  rigging  rattled  down,  fore  and  aft ; the 
ship  scraped,  inside  and  out,  and  painted  ; decks  varnished  ; 
new  and  neat  knots,  seizings  and  coverings  to  be  fitted; 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


and  every  part  put  in  order,  to  look  well  to  the  owner’s  eye, 
on  coming  into  Boston.  This,  of  course,  was  a long  mat- 
ter; and  all  hands  were  kept  on  deck  at  work  for  the  whole 
of  each  day,  during  the  rest  of  the  voyage.  Sailors  call 
this  hard  usage ; but  the  ship  must  be  in  crack  order, 
and  “ we’re  homeward  bound  ” was  the  answer  to  every- 
thing. 

We  went  on  for  several  days,  employed  in  this  way, 
nothing  remarkable  occurring ; and,  at  the  latter  part  of 
the  week,  fell  in  with  the  southeast  trades,  blowing  about 
east-southeast,  which  brought  them  nearly  two  points 
abaft  our  beam.  These  blew  strong  and  steady,  so  that 
we  hardly  started  a rope,  until  we  were  beyond  their  lati- 
tude. The  first  day  of  “ all  hands,”  one  of  those  little  in- 
cidents occurred,  which  are  nothing  in  themselves,  but  are 
great  matters  in  the  eyes  of  a ship’s  company,  as  they  serve 
to  break  the  monotony  of  a voyage,  and  afford  conversation 
to  the  crew  for  days  afterwards.  These  small  matters, 
too,  are  often  interesting,  as  they  show  the  customs  and 
state  of  feeling  on  ship-board. 

In  merchant  vessels,  the  captain  gives  his  orders,  as  to 
the  ship’s  work,  to  the  mate,  in  a general  way,  and  leaves 
the  execution  of  them,  with  the  particular  ordering,  to  him. 
This  has  become  so  fixed  a custom,  that  it  is  like  a law, 
and  is  never  infringed  upon  by  a wise  master,  unless  his 
mate  is  no  seaman ; in  which  case,  the  captain  must  often 
oversee  things  for  himself.  This  however,  could  not  be 
said  of  our  chief  mate  ; and  he  was  very  jealous  of  any  en- 
croachment upon  the  borders  of  his  authority. 

On  Monday  morning,  the  captain  told  him  to  stay  the 
fore  top-mast  plumb.  He  accordingly  came  forward,  turned 
all  hands  to,  with  tackles  on  the  stays  and  back-stays, 
coming  up  with  the  seizings,  hauling  here,  belaying  them, 
and  full  of  business,  standing  between  the  knight-heads  ;o 
sight  the  mast, — when  the  captain  came  forward,  and  a 'so 
began  to  give  orders.  This  made  confusion,  and  the  mate, 
finding  that  he  was  all  aback,  left  his  place  and  went  aft, 
saying  to  the  captain — 

“ If  you  come  forward,  sir,  I’ll  go  aft.  One  is  enough 
on  the  forecastle.” 

This  produced  a reply,  and  another  fierce  answer , and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


31 9 

the  words  flew,  fists  were  doubled  up,  and  things  looked 
threateningly. 

“ I’m  master  of  this  ship.” 

“Yes,  sir,  and  I’m  mate  of  her,  and  know  my  place  1 
My  place  is  forward,  and  yours  is  aft ! ” 

“ My  place  is  where  I choose  ! I command  the  whole 
ship  , and  you  are  mate  only  so  long  as  I choose  ! ” 

“ Say  the  word,  Capt,  T.,  and  I’m  done  ! I can  do  a 
man’s  work  aboard  ! I didn’t  come  through  the  cabin  win- 
dows ! If  I’m  not  mate,  I can  be  man,”  etc.  etc. 

This  was  all  fun  for  us,  who  stood  by,  winking  at  each 
other,  and  enjoying  the  contest  between  the  higher  powers. 
The  captain  took  the  mate  aft ; and  they  had  a long  talk, 
which  ended  in  the  mate’s  returning  to  his  duty,  The  cap- 
tain had  broken  through  a custom,  which  is  a part  of  the 
common-law  of  a ship,  and  without  reason  ; for  he  knew 
that  his  mate  was  a sailor,  and  needed  no  help  from  him  ; 
and  the  mate  was  excusable  for  being  angry.  Yet  he  was 
wrong  and  the  captain  right.  Whatever  the  captain  does 
is  right,  ipso  facto,  and  any  opposition  to  it  is  wrong,  on 
board  ship  ; and  every  officer  and  man  knows  this  when  he 
signs  the  ship’s  articles.  It  is  a part  of  the  contract.  Yet 
there  has  grown  up  in  merchant  vessels  a series  of  customs, 
which  have  become  a well  understood  system,  and  have  al- 
most the  force  of  prescriptive  law.  To  be  sure,  all  power 
is  in  the  captain,  and  the  officers  hold  their  authority  only 
during  his  will ; and  the  men  are  liable  to  be  called  upon 
for  any  service ; yet,  by  breaking  in  upon  these  usages, 
many  difficulties  have  occurred  on  board  ship,  and  even 
come  into  courts  of  justice,  which  are  perfectly  unintelligi- 
ble to  any  one  not  acquainted  with  the  universal  nature 
and  force  of  these  customs.  Many  a provocation  has 
been  offered,  and  a system  of  petty  oppression  pursued  to^ 
wards  men,  the  force  and  meaning  of  which  would  appear 
as  nothing  to  strangers,  and  doubtless  do  appear  so  to 
many  “ ’long-shore  ” juries  and  judges. 

The  next  little  diversion,  was  a battle  on  the  forecastle, 
one  afternoon,  between  the  mate  and  the  steward.  They 
had  been  on  bad  terms  the  whole  voyage  ; and  had  threat- 
ened a rupture  several  times.  This  afternoon,  the  mate 
asked  him  for  a tumbler  of  water,  and  he  refused  to  get  it 
for  him,  saying  that  he  waited  upon  nobody  but  the  cap- 


32° 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


tain ; and  here  he  had  the  custom  on  his  side.  But  in 
answering,  he  left  off  ‘ the  handle  to  the  mate’s  name.’ 
This  enraged  the  mate,  who  called  him  a “ black  soger  ; ” 
and  at  it  they  went,  clenching,  striking,  and  rolling  over 
and  over;  while  we  stood  by,  looking  on,  and  enjoying 
the  fun.  The  darkey  tried  to  butt  him,  but  the  mate  got 
him  down,  and  held  him,  the  steward  singing  out,  “ Let  me 
go,  Mr.  Brown,  or  there’ll  be  blood  spilt ! In  the  midst 
of  this,  the  captain  came  on  deck,  separated  them,  took 
the  steward  aft,  and  gave  him  a half  a dozen  with  a rope’s 
end.  The  steward  tried  to  justify  himself ; but  he  had 
been  heard  to  talk  of  spilling  blood,  and  that  was  enough 
to  earn  him  his  flogging ; and  the  captain  did  not  choose 
to  inquire  any  further. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

The  same  day,  I met  with  one  of  those  narrow  escapes, 
which  are  so  often  happening  in  a sailor’s  life.  I had 
been  aloft  nearly  all  the  afternoon,  at  work,  standing  for 
as  much  as  an  hour  on  the  fore  top-gallant  yard,  which  was 
hoisted  up,  and  hung  only  by  the  tie  ; when,  having  got 
through  my  work,  I balled  up  my  yarns,  took  my  serving- 
board  in  my  hand,  laid  hold  deliberately  of  the  top-gallant 
rigging,  took  one  foot  from  the  yard,  and  was  just  lifting 
the  other,  when  the  tie  parted,  and  down  the  yard  fell.  I 
was  safe,  by  my  hold  upon  the  rigging,  but  it  made  my 
heart  beat  quick.  Had  the  tie  parted  one  instant  sooner, 
or  had  I stood  an  instant  longer  on  the  yard,  I should 
inevitably  have  been  thrown  violently  from  the  height  of 
ninety  or  an  hundred  feet,  overboard  ; or,  what  is  worse, 
.upon  the  deck.  However,  “ a miss  is  as  good  as  a mile 
a saying  which  sailors  very  often  have  occasion  to  use. 
An  escape  is  always  a joke  on  board  ship.  A man  would 
be  ridiculed  who  should  make  a serious  matter  of  it.  A sailor 
knows  too  well  that  his  life  hangs  upon -a  thread,  to  wish 
to  be  always  reminded  of  it ; so,  if  a man  has  an  escape,  he 
keeps  it  to  himself,  or  makes  a joke  of  it.  I have  often  known 
a man’s  life  to  be  saved  by  an  instant  of  time, or  by  the  merest 
chance, — the  swinging  of  a rope, — and  no  notice  taken  of 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


321 


it  One  of  our  boys,  when  off  Cape  Horn,  reefing  top-sails 
of  a dark  night,  and  when  there  were  no  boats  to  be  lowered 
away,  and  where,  if  a man  fell  overboard,  he  must  be  left 
behind, — lost  his  hold  of  the  reef-point,  slipped  from  the 
foot-rope,  and  would  have  been  in  the  water  in  a moment, 
when  the  man  who  was  next  to  him  on  the  yard  caught 
him  by  the  collar  of  his  jacket,  and  hauled  him  up  upon 
the  yard,  with — “ Hold  on  another  time  you  young 

monkey,  and  be  d d to  you  1 ” — and  that  was  all  that 

was  heard  about  it. 

Sunday,  August  jth.  Lat.  250  59'  S.,  long.  27 0 o'  W. 
Spoke  the  English  bark  Mary  Catherine,  from  Bahia,  bound 
to  Calcutta.  This  was  the  first  sail  we  had  fallen  in  with, 
and  the  first  time  we  had  seen  a human  form  or  heard  a 
human  voice,  except  of  our  own  number,  for  nearly  an 
hundred  days.  The  very  yo-ho-ing  of  the  sailors  at  the 
ropes  sounded  sociably  upon  the  ear.  She  was  an  old, 
damaged-looking  craft,  with  a high  poop  and  top-gallant 
forecastle,  and  sawed  off  square,  stem  and  stern,  like  a 
true  English  “ tea-wagon,”  and  with  a run  like  a sugar-box. 
She  had  studding-sails  out  alow  and  aloft,  with  a light  but 
steady  breeze,  and  her  captain  said  he  could  not  get  more 
than  four  knots  out  of  her ; and  thought  he  should  have  a 
long  passage.  We  were  going  six  on  an  easy  bowline. 

The  next  day,  about  three  P.M.,  passed  a large  corvette- 
built  ship,  close  upon  the  wind,  with  royals  and  sky-sails 
set  fore  and  aft,  under  English  colors.  She  was  standing 
south-by-east,  probably  bound  round  Cape  Horn.  She  had 
men  in  her  tops,  and  black  mast-heads  ; heavily  sparred, 
with  sails  cut  to  a /,  and  other  marks  of  a man-of-war.  She 
sailed  well,  and  presented  a fine  appearance  ; the  proud, 
aristocratic-looking  banner  of  St.  George,  the  cross  in  a 
blood-red  field,  waving  from  the  mizen.  We  probably 
were  as  fine  a sight,  with  our  studding-sails  spread  far  out 
beyond  the  ship  on  either  side,  and  rising  in  a pyramid  to 
royal  studding-sails  and  sky-sails,  burying  the  hull  in  canvas, 
and  looking  like  what  the  whalemen  on  the  Banks,  under 
their  stump  top-gallant  masts,  call  “ a Cape  Horn-er  under 
a cloud  of  sail.” 

Friday , August  12 th.  At  daylight  made  the  island  of 
Trinidad,  situated  in  lat.  20°  28'  S.,  long.  29°  08'  W.  At 
twelve,  M.,  it  bore  N.,  W J N.,  distant  twenty-seven  miles. 


322 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


It  was  a beautiful  day,  the  sea  hardly  ruffled  by  the  light 
trades,  and  the  island  looking  like  a small  blue  mound 
rising  from  a field  of  glass.  Such  a fair  and  peaceful 
looking  spot  is  said  to  have  been,  for  a long  time,  the 
resort  of  a band  of  pirates,  who  ravaged  the  tropical  seas. 

Thursday . August  iSth.  At  three,  P.  M.,  made  the 
island  of  Fernando  Naronha,  lying  in  lat.  30  55'  S.,  long. 
32q  35'  W. ; and  between  twelve  o’clock  Friday  night  and 
one  o’clock  Saturday  morning,  crossed  the  equator,  for  the 
fourth  time  since  leaving  Boston,  in  long.  35°  W.  ; having 
been  twenty-seven  days  from  Staten  Land — a distance,  by 
the  courses  we  had  made,  of  more  than  four  thousand 
miles. 

We  were  now  to  the  northward  of  the  line,  and  every 
day  added  to  our  latitude.  The  Magellan  clouds,  the  last 
sign  of  south  latitude,  were  sunk  in  the  horizon,  and  the 
North  Star,  the  Great  Bear,  and  the  familiar  signs  of 
Northern  latitudes,  were  rising  in  the  heavens.  Next  to 
seeing  land,  there  is  no  sight  which  makes  one  realize 
more  that  he  is  drawing  near  home,  than  to  see  the  same 
heavens,  under  which  he  was  born,  shining  at  night  over 
his  head.  The  weather  was  extremely  hot,  with  the  usual 
tropical  alterations  of  a scorching  sun  and  squalls  of  rain ; 
yet  not  a word  was  said  in  complaint  of  the  heat,  for  we 
all  remembered  that  only  three  or  four  weeks  before  we 
would  have  given  nearly  our  all  to  have  been  where  we 
now  were.  We  had  a plenty  of  water,  too,  which  we  caught 
by  spreading  an  awning,  with  shot  thrown  in  to  make 
hollows.  These  rain  squalls  came  up  in  the  manner  usual 
between  the  tropics. — A clear  sky  ; burning,  vertical  sun  ; 
work  going  lazily  on,  and  men  about  deck  with  nothing 
but  duck  trowsers,  checked  shirts,  and  straw  hats ; the 
ship  moving  as  lazily  through  the  water ; the  man  at  the 
helm  resting  against  the  wheel,  with  his  hat  drawn  over 
his  eyes  the  captain  below,  taking  an  afternoon  nap ; the 
passenger  leaning  over  the  taffrail,  watching  a dolphin 
following  slowly  in  our  wake ; the  sail-maker  mending  an 
old  top-sail  on  the  lee  side  of  the  quarter-deck  ; the  car- 
penter working  at  his  bench,  in  the  waist ; the  boys  making 
sinnet;  the  spun-yarn  winch  whizzing  round  and  round, 
and  the  men  walking  slowly  fore  and  aft  with  the  yarns. — 
A cloud  rises  to  windward,  looking  a little  black ; the  sky- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


323 


sails  are  brailed  down ; the  captain  puts  his  head  out  of 
the  companion-way,  looks  at  the  cloud,  comes  up,  and 
begins  to  walk  the  deck. — The  cloud  spreads  and  comes 
on  ; — the  tub  of  yarns,  the  sail,  and  other  matters,  are 
thrown  below,  and  the  sky-light  and  booby-hatch  put  on, 
and  the  slide  drawn  over  the  forecastle. — “ Stand  by  the 
royal  halyards  — the  man  at  the  wheel  keeps  a good 
weather  helm,  so  as  not  to  be  taken  aback. — The  squall 
strikes  her.  If  it  is  light,  the  royal  yards  are  clewed  down, 
and  the  ship  keeps  on  her  way ; but  if  the  squall  takes 
strong  hold,  the  royals  are  clewed  up,  fore  and  aft ; light 
hands  lay  aloft  and  furl  them  ; top-gallant  yards  clewed 
down,  flying  jib  hauled  down,  and  the  ship  kept  off  before  it, 
— the  man  at  the  helm  laying  out  his  strength  to  heave  the 
wheel  up  to  windward.  At  the  same  time  a drenching  rain, 
which  soaks  one  through  in  an  instant.  Yet  no  one  puts  on 
a jacket  or  cap ; for  if  it  is  only  warm,  a sailor  does  not 
mind  a ducking;  and  the  sun  will  soon  be  out  again.  As 
soon  as  the  force  of  the  squall  has  passed,  though  to  a 
common  eye  the  ship  would  seem  to  be  in  the  midst  of  it, 
— “ Keep  her  up  to  her  course,  again  ! ” — “ Keep  her  up, 
sir,”  (answer)  ; — “ Hoist  away  the  top-gallant  yards  ! ” — 
“ Run  up  the  flying-jib  ! ’ — “ Lay  aloft,  you  boys,  and  loose 
the  royals  !” — and  all  sail  is  on  her  again  before  she  is 
fairly  out  of  the  squall ; and  she  is  going  on  in  her  course. 
The  sun  comes  out  once  more,  hotter  than  ever,  dries  up 
the  decks  and  the  sailors’  clothes  ; the  hatches  are  taken 
off  ; the  sail  got  up  and  spread  on  the  quarter-deck  ; 
spun-yarn  winch  set  a whirling  again  ; rigging  coiled  up  ; 
captain  goes  below  ; and  every  sign  of  an  interruption  is 
removed. 

These  scenes,  with  occasional  dead  calms,  lasting  for 
hours,  and  sometimes  for  days,  are  fair  specimens  of  the 
Atlantic  tropics.  The  nights  were  fine  ; and  as  we  had  all 
hands  all  day,  the  watch  were  allowed  to  sleep  on  deck  at 
night,  except  the  man  at  the  wheel,  and  one  look-out  on 
the  forecastle.  This  was  not  so  much  expressly  allowed, 
as  winked  at.  We  could  do  it  if  we  did  not  ask  leave.  If 
the  look-out  was  caught  napping,  the  whole  watch  was  kept 
awake.  We  made  the  most  of  this  permission,  and  stowed 
ourselves  away  upon  the  rigging,  under  the  ^weather  rail,  on 
the  spars,  under  the  windlass,  and  in  all  the  snug  corners ; 


324 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


and  frequently  slept  out  the  watch,  unless  we  had  a wheel 
or  a look-out.  And  we  were  glad  enough  to  get  this  rest ; 
for  under  the  “ all  hands  ” system,  out  of  every  other  thirty- 
six  hours,  we  had  only  four  below ; and  even  an  hour’s 
sleep  was  a gain  not  to  be  neglected.  One  would  have 
thought  so,  to  have  seen  our  watch,  some  nights,  sleeping 
through  a heavy  rain.  And  often  have  we  come  on  deck, 
and  finding  a dead  calm  and  a light,  steady  rain,  and  de> 
termined  not  to  lose  our  sleep,  have  laid  a coil  of  rigging 
down  so  as  to  keep  us  out  of  the  water  which  was  washing 
about  decks,  and  stowed  ourselves  away  upon  it,  covering  a 
jacket  over  us,  slept  as  soundly  as  a Dutchman  between 
two  feather  beds. 

For  a week  or  ten  days  after  crossing  the  line,  we  had 
the  usual  variety  of  calms,  squalls,  head  winds,  and  fair 
winds  ; — at  one  time  braced  sharp  upon  the  wind,  with  a 
taught  bowline,  and  in  an  hour  after,  slipping  quietly  along, 
with  a light  breeze  over  the  taffrail,  and  studding-sails  out 
on  both  sides, — until  we  fell  in  with  the  northeast  trade- 
winds  ; which  we  did  on  the  afternoon  of 

Sunday,  August  2 8th,  in  lat,  i2p  N.  The  trade-wind 
clouds  had  been  in  sight  for  a day  or  two  previously,  and 
we  expected  to  take  them  every  hour.  The  light  southerly 
breeze,  which  had  been  blowing  languidly  during  the  first 
part  of  the  day,  died  away  toward  noon,  and  in  its  place 
came  puffs  from  the  northeast,  which  caused  us  to  take  our 
studding-sails  in  and  brace  up  ; and,  in  a couple  of  hours 
more,  we  were  bowling  gloriously  along,  dashing  the  spray 
far  ahead  and  to  leeward,  with  the  cool,  steady  northeast 
trades,  freshening  up  the  sea,  and  giving  us  as  much  as  we 
could  carry  our  royals  to.  These  winds  blew  strong  and 
steady,  keeping  us  generally  upon  a bowline,  as  our  course 
was  about  north-northwest ; and  sometimes,  as  they  veered 
a little  to  the  eastward,  giving  us  a chance  at  a main 
top-gallant  studding-sail  ; and  sending  us  well  to  the 
northward,  until — 

Sunday,  Sept.  \th , when  they  left  us  in  lat.  220  N., 
long.  510  W.,  directly  under  the  tropic  of  Cancer. 

For  several  days  we  lay  ‘ humbugging  about’  in  the 
Horse  latitudes,  with  all  sorts  of  winds  and  weather,  and 
occasionally,  as  we  were  in  the  latitude  of  the  West  Indies, 
— a thunder  storm.  It  was  hurricane  month,  too,  and  we 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


325 

were  just  in  the  track  of  the  tremendous  hurricane  of  1830, 
which  swept  the  North  Atlantic,  destroying  almost  every- 
thing before  it.  The  first  night  after  the  trade-winds  left 
us,  while  we  were  in  the  latitude  of  the  island  of  Cuba,  we 
had  a specimen  of  a true  tropical  thunder  storm.  A light 
breeze  had  been  blowing  directly  from  aft  during  the  first 
part  of  the  night,  which  gradually  died  away,  and  before 
midnight  it  was  dead  calm,  and  a heavy  black  cloud  had 
shrouded  the  whole  sky.  When  our  watch  came  on  deck 
at  twelve  o’clock,  it  was  as  black  as  Erebus  ; the  studding- 
sails  were  all  taken  in,  and  the  royals  furled  ; not  a breath 
was  stirring  ; the  sails  hung  heavy  and  motionless  from 
the  yards  ; and  the  perfect  stillness,  and  the  darkness, 
which  was  almost  palpable,  were  truly  appalling.  Not  a 
word,  was  spoken,  but  every  one  stood  as  though  waiting 
for  something  to  happen.  In  a few  minutes  the  mate 
came  forward,  and  in  a low  tone,  which  was  almost  a whis- 
per, told  us  to  haul  down  the  jib.  The  fore  and  mizen  top- 
gallant sails  were  taken  in,  in  the  same  silent  manner ; and 
we  lay  motionless  upon  the  water,  with  an  uneasy  expec- 
tation, which,  from  the  long  suspense,  became  actually 
painful.  We  could  hear  the  captain  walking  the  deck,  but 
it  was  too  dark  to  see  anything  more  than  one’s  hand 
before  the  face.  Soon  the  mate  came  forward  again,  and 
gave  an  order,  in  a low  tone,  to  clew  up  the  main  top-gal- 
lant sail ; and  so  infectious  was  the  awe  and  silence,  that 
the  clew-lines  and  buntlines  were  hauled  up  without  any  of 
the  customary  singing  out  at  the  ropes.  An  English  lad 
and  myself  went  up  to  furl  it ; and  we  had  just  got  the  bunt 
up,  when  the  mate  called  out  to  us,  something,  we  did  not 
hear  what, — but  supposing  it  to  be  an  order  to  bear-a-hand, 
we  hurried,  and  made  all  fast,  and  came  down,  feeling  our 
way  among  the  rigging.  When  we  got  down  we  found 
all  hands  looking  aloft,  and  there,  directly  over  where  we 
had  been  standing,  upon  the  main  top-gallant-mast-head, 
was  a ball  of  light,  which  the  sailors  narr*e  a corposant 
(corpus  sancti),  and  which  the  mate  had  called  out  to  us 
to  look  at.  They  were  all  watching  it  carefully,  for  sailors 
have  a notion,  that  if  the  corposant  rises  in  the  rigging,  it 
is  a sign  of  fair  weather,  but  if  it  comes  lower  down,  there 
will  be  a storm.  Unfortunately,  as  an  omen,  it  came  down 
tnd  showed  itself  on  the  top-gallant  yard-arm.  We  were 


326  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

off  the  yard  in  good  season,  for  it  is  held  a fatal  sign  to 
have  the  pale  light  of  the  corposant  thrown  upon  one’s 
face.  As  it  was,  the  English  lad  did  not  feel  comfortably 
at  having  had  it  so  near  him,  and  directly  over  his  head. 
In  a few  minutes  it  disappeared,  and  showed  itself  again 
on  the  fore  top-gallant  yard ; and  after  playing  about  for 
some  time,  disappeared  again  ; when  the  man  on  the  fore- 
castle pointed  to  it  upon  the  flying-jib-boom-end.  But 
our  attention  was  drawn  from  watching  this,  by  the  falling 
of  some  drops  of  rain,  and  by  a perceptible  increase  of 
the  darkness,  which  seemed  suddenly  to  add  a new  shade 
of  blackness  to  the  night.  In  a few  minutes,  low,  grum- 
bling thunder  was  heard,  and  some  random  flashes  of  light- 
ning came  from  the  southwest.  Every  sail  was  taken  in 
but  the  top-sails ; still,  no  squall  appeared  to  be  coming. 
A few  puffs  lifted  the  top-sails,  but  they  fell  again  to  the 
mast,  and  all  was  as  still  as  ever.  A moment  more,  and  a 
terrific  flash  and  peal  broke  simultaneously  upon  us,  and 
a cloud  appeared  to  open  directly  over  our  heads  and  let 
down  the  water  in  one  body,  like  a falling  ocean.  We 
stood  motionless,  and  almost  stupefied  ; yet  nothing  had 
been  struck.  Peal  after  peal  rattled  over  our  heads,  with 
a sound  which  seemed  actually  to  stop  the  breath  in  the 
body,  and  the  “ speedy  gleams  ” kept  the  whole  ocean  in 
a glare  of  light.  The  violent  fall  of  rain  lasted  but  a 
few  minutes,  and  was  succeeded  by  occasional  drops  and 
showers ; but  the  lightning  continued  incessant  for  several 
hours,  breaking  the  midnight  darkness  with  irregular  and 
blinding  flashes.  During  all  which  time  there  was  not  a 
breath  stirring,  and  we  lay  motionless,  like  a mark  to  be 
shot  at,  probably  the  only  object  on  the  surface  of  the 
ocean  for  miles  and  miles.  We  stood  hour  after  hour,  un- 
til our  watch  was  out,  and  we  were  relieved,  at  four  o’clock. 
During  all  this  time,  hardly  a word  was  spoken  ; no  bells 
were  struck,  and  the  wheel  was  silently  relieved.  The 
rain  fell  at  intervals  in  heavy  showers,  and  we  stood 
drenched  through  and  blinded  by  the  flashes,  which  broke 
the  Egyptian  darkness  with  a brightness  which  seemed  al- 
most malignant ; while  the  thunder  rolled  in  peals,  the 
concussion  of  which,  appeared  to  shake  the  very  ocean.  A 
ship  is  not  often  injured  by  lightning,  for  the  electricity  is 
separated  by  the  great  number  of  points  she  presents,  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


327 


the  quantity  of  iron  which  she  has  scattered  in  various 
parts.  The  electric  fluid  ran  over  our  anchors,  top-sail 
sheets  and  ties ; yet  no  harm  was  done  to  us.  We  went 
below  at  four  o’clock,  leaving  things  in  the  same  state.  It 
is  not  easy  to  sleep,  when  the  very  next  flash  may  tear  the 
ship  in  two,  or  set  her  on  fire  ; or  where  the  deathlike  calm 
may  be  broken  by  the  blast  of  a hurricane  taking  the  masts 
out  of  the  ship.  But  a man  is  no  sailor  if  he  cannot  sleep 
when  he  turns-in,  and  turn  out  when  he’s  called.  And 
when,  at  seven  bells,  the  customary  “All  the  larboard 
watch,  ahoy ! ” brought  us  on  deck,  it  was  a fine,  clear, 
sunny  morning,  the  ship  going  leisurely  along,  with  a good 
breeze  and  all  sail  set. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

From  the  latitude  of  the  West  Indies,  until  we  got  in- 
side the  Bermudas,  where  we  took  the  westerly  and  south- 
westerly winds,  which  blow  steadily  off  the  coast  of  the 
United  States  early  in  the  autumn,  we  had  every  variety 
of  weather,  and  two  or  three  moderate  gales,  or,  as  sailors 
call  them,  double-reef-top-sail  breezes  which  came  on  in 
the  usual  manner,  and  of  which  one  is  a specimen  of  all. 
— A fine  afternoon ; all  hands  at  work,  some  In  the  rig- 
ging, and  others  on  deck  ; a stiff  breeze,  and  ship  close 
upon  the  wind,  and  sky-sails  brailed  down. — Latter  part 
of  the  afternoon,  breeze  increases,  ship  lies  over  to  it,  and 
clouds  look  windy.  Spray  begins  to  fly  over  the  forecastle, 
and  wets  the  yarns  the  boys  are  knotting; — ball  them  up 
and  put  them  below. — Mate  knocks  off  work  and  clears  up 
decks  earlier  than  usual,  and  orders  a man  who  has  been 
employed  aloft  to  send  the  royal  halyards  over  to  wind- 
ward, as  he  comes  down.  Breast  backstays  hauled  taught, 
and  tackle  got  upon  the  martingale  back-rope. — One  of  the 
boys  furls  the  mizen  royal. — Cook  thinks  there  is  going  to 
be  “ nasty  work,”  and  has  supper  ready  early. — Mate  gives 
orders  to  get  supper  by  the  watch,  instead  of  all  hands,  as 
usual. — While  eating  supper,  hear  the  watch  on  deck 
taking  in  the  royals. — Coming  on  deck,  find  it  is  blowing 
harder,  and  an  ugly  head  sea  is  running. — Instead  of 


328  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

having  all  hands  on  the  forecastle  in  the  dog  watch,  smok* 
ing,  singing,  and  telling  yarns,  one  watch  goes  below  and 
turns-in,  saying  that  it’s  going  to  be  an  ugly  night,  and  two 
hours’  sleep  is  not  to  be  lost.  Clouds  look  black  and  wild; 
wind  rising,  and  ship  working  hard  against  a heavy  head 
sea,  which  breaks  over  the  forecastle,  and  washes  aft 
through  the  scuppers.  Still,  no  more  sail  is  taken  in,  for 
the  captain  is  a driver,  and,  like  all  drivers,  very  partial  to 
his  top-gallant  sails.  A top-gallant  sail,  too,  makes  the 
difference  between  a breeze  and  a gale.  When  a top-gal- 
lant sail  is  on  a ship,  it  is  only  a breeze,  though  I have 
seen  ours  set  over  a reefed  top-sail,  when  half  the  bow- 
sprit was  under  water,  and  it  was  up  to  a man’s  knees  in 
the  lee  scuppers.  At  eight  bells,  nothing  is  said  about 
reefing  the  top-sails,  and  the  watch  go  below,  with  orders 
to  “ stand  by  for  a call.”  We  turn-in,  growling  at  the  “ old 
man  9 for  not  reefing  the  top-sails  when  the  watch  was 
changed,  but  putting  it  off  so  as  to  call  all  hands,  and 
break  up  a whole  watch  below.  Turn-in  “ all  standing,” 
and  keep  ourselves  awake,  saying  there  is  no  use  in  going 
to  sleep  to  be  waked  up  again. — Wind  whistles  on  deck, 
and  ship  works  hard,  groaning  and  creaking,  and  pitching 
into  a heavy  head  sea,  which  strikes  against  the  bows,  with 
a noise  like  knocking  upon  a rock. — The  dim  lamp  in  the 
forecastle  swings  to  and  fro,  and  things  ‘ fetch  away  9 and 
go  over  to  leeward. — “ Doesn’t  that  booby  of  a second 
mate  ever  mean  to  take  in  his  top-gallant  sails  ? — He’ll 
have  the  sticks  out  of  her  soon,”  says  old  Bill,  who  was 
always  growling,  and,  like  most  old  sailors,  did  not  like  to 
see  a ship  abused. — By-and-by,  an  order  is  given  ; — “ Aye, 
aye,  sir ! ” from  the  forecastle  ; — rigging  is  heaved  down  on 
deck ; — the  noise  of  a sail  is  heard  fluttering  aloft,  and  the 
short,  quick  cry  which  sailors  make  when  hauling  upon 
clewlines. — “ Here  comes  his  fore  top-gallant  sail  in  ! ” — 
We  are  wide  awake,  and  know  all  that’s  going  on  as  well 
as  if  we  were  on  deck. — A well-known  voice  is  heard  from 
the  mast-head  singing  out  to  the  officer  of  the  watch  to 

haul  taught  the  weather  brace. — “ Hallo  ! There’s  S 

aloft  to  furl  the  sail  ! ” — Next  thing,  rigging  is  heaved 
down  directly  over  our  heads,  and  a long-drawn  cry  and  a 
rattling  of  hanks  announce  that  the  flying-jib  has  come  in. 
■ — The  second  mate  holds  on  to  the  main  top-gallant  sail 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


329 


until  a heavy  sea  is  shipped,  and  washes  over  the  fore- 
castle as  though  the  whole  ocean  had  come  aboard ; when 
a noise  further  aft  shows  that  that  sail,  too,  is  taking  in. 
After  this,  the  ship  is  more  easy  for  a time  ; two  bells  are 
struck,  and  we  try  to  get  a little  sleep.  By-and-by, — 
bang,  bang,  bang,  on  the  scuttle — “ All  ha-a-ancls,  a-ho-ov  ! ” 
— We  spring  out  of  our  berths,  clap  on  a monkey-jacket 
and  southwester,  and  tumble  up  the  ladder. — Mate  up  be- 
fore us,  and  on  the  forecastle,  singing  out  like  a roaring 
bulb;  the  captain  singing  out  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  the 
second  mate  yelling,  like  a hyena,  in  the  waist.  The  ship 
is  lying  over  half  upon  her  beam-ends  ; lee  scuppers  under 
water,  and  forecastle  all  in  a smother  of  foam. — Rigging 
all  let  go,  and  washing  about  decks  ; top-sail  yards  down 
upon  the  caps,  and  sails  flapping  and  beating  against  the 
masts  ; and  starboard  watch  hauling  out  the  reef-tackles  of 
the  main  top-sail.  Our  watch  haul  out  the  fore,  and  lay 
aloft  and  put  two  reefs  into  it,  and  reef  the  fore-sail,  and 
race  with  the  starboard  watch,  to  see  which  will  mast-head 
its  top-sail  first.  All  hands  tally-on  to  the  main  tack,  and 
while  some  are  furling  the  jib,  and  hoisting  the  stay-sail, 
we  mizen-top-men  double-reef  the  mizen  top-sail  and  hoist 
it  up.  All  being  made  fast — “ Go  below,  the  watch  ! ” and 
we  turn-in  to  sleep  out  the  rest  of  the  time,  which  is  per- 
haps an  hour  and  a half.  During  all  the  middle,  and  for 
the  first  part  of  the  morning  watch,  it  blows  as  hard  as 
ever,  but  toward  daybreak  it  moderates  considerably,  and 
we  shake  a reef  out  of  each  top-sail,  and  set  the  top- 
gallant sails  over  them ; and  when  the  watch  come  up,  at 
seven  bells,  for  breakfast,  shake  the  other  reefs  out,  turn 
all  hands  to  upon  the  halyards,  get  the  watch-tackle  upon 
the  top-gallant  sheets  and  halyards,  set  the  flying-jib,  and 
crack  on  to  her  again. 

Our  captain  had  been  married  only  a few  weeks  before 
he  left  Boston  ; and,  after  an  absence  of  over  two  years, 
it  may  be  supposed  he  was  not  slow  in  carrying  sail.  The 
mate,  too,  was  not  to  be  beaten  by  anybody  ; and  the 
second  mate,  though  he  was  afraid  to  press  sail,  was  afraid 
as  death  of  the  captain,  and  being  between  two  fears, 
sometimes  carried  on  longer  than  any  of  them.  We 
snapped  off  three  flying- jib  booms  in  twenty-four  hours,  as 
fast  as  they  could  be  fitted  and  rigged  out ; sprung  the 


330 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


sprit-sail  yard ; and  made  nothing  of  studding-sail  booms. 
Beside  the  natural  desire  to  get  home,  we  had  another 
reason  for  urging  the  ship  on.  The  scurvy  had  begun  to 
show  itself  on  board.  One  man  had  it  so  badly  as  to  be 
disabled  and  off  duty,  and  the  English  lad,  Ben,  was  in  a 
dreadful  state,  and  was  daily  growing  worse.  His  legs 
swelled  and  pained  him  so  that  he  could  not  walk  ; his 
flesh  lost  its  elasticity,  so  that  if  it  was  pressed  in,  it  would 
not  return  to  its  shape  : and  his  gums  swelled  until  he 
could  not  open  his  mouth.  His  breath,  too,  became  very 
offensive  ; he  lost  all  strength  and  spirit ; could  eat  noth- 
ing  ; grew  worse  every  day : and,  in  fact,  unless  something 
was  done  for  him,  would  be  a dead  man  in  a week,  at  the 
rate  at  which  he  was  sinking.  The  medicines  were  all,  or 
nearly  all,  gone ; and  if  we  had  had  a chestfull,  they  would 
have  been  of  no  use  ; for  nothing  but  fresh  provisions  and 
terra  firma  has  any  effect  upon  the  scurvy.  This  disease 
is  not  so  common  now  as  formerly ; and  is  attributed 
generally  to  salt  provisions,  want  of  cleanliness,  the  free  use 
of  grease  and  fat  (which  is  the  reason  of  its  prevalence 
among  whalemen,)  and,  last  of  all,  to  laziness.  It  never 
could  have  been  from  the  latter  cause  on  board  our  ship  ; 
nor  from  the  second,  for  we  were  a very  cleanly  crew,  kept 
our  forecastle  in  neat  order,  and  were  more  particular 
about  washing  and  changing  clothes  than  many  better- 
dressed  people  on  shore.  It  was  probably  from  having 
none  but  salt  provisions,  and  possibly  from  our  having  run 
very  rapidly  into  hot  weather,  after  having  been  so  long  in 
the  extremest  cold. 

Depending  upon  the  westerly  winds,  which  prevail  off 
the  coast  in  the  autumn,  the  captain  stood  well  to  the 
westward,  to  run  inside  of  the  Bermudas,  and  in  the  hope 
of  falling  in  with  some  vessel  bound  to  the  West  Indies  or 
the  Southern  States.  The  scurvy  had  spread  no  farther 
among  the  crew,  but  there  was  danger  that  it  might ; and 
these  cases  were  bad  ones. 

Sunday , Sept,  nth.— Lat.  30°  04/  N.,  long.  63°  23/  W.; 
the  Bermudas  bearing  n orth-north-west,  distant  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles.  The  next  morning,  about  ten 
o’clock,  “ Sail  ho ! ” was  cried  on  deck  ; and  all  hands 
turned  up  to  see  the  stranger.  As  she  drew  nearer,  she 
proved  to  be  an  ordinary-looking  hermaphrodite  brig, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


33  I 


standing  south-southeast;  and  probably  bound  out,  from 
the  Northern  States  to  the  West  Indies ; and  was  just  the 
thing  we  wished  to  see.  She  hove-to  for  us,  seeing  that 
we  wished  to  speak  her ; and  we  ran  down  to  her ; boom- 
ended  our  studding-sails  ; backed  our  main  top-sail,  and 
hailed  her — “ Brig,  ahoy  ! ” — “ Hallo  ! ” — “ Where  are  you 
from,  pray  ? ” — “ From  New  York  bound  to  Curacoa.” — 
“ Have  you  any  fresh  provisions  to  spare  ? ” — “ Aye,  aye  ! 
plenty  of  them  ! ” We  lowered  away  the  quarter-boat,  in- 
stantly ; and  the  captain  and  four  hands  sprang  in,  and  were 
soon  dancing  over  the  water,  and  alongside  the  brig.  In 
about  half  an  hour  they  returned  with  half  a boat-load  of 
potatoes  and  onions,  and  each  vessel  filled  away,  and  kept 
on  her  course.  She  proved  to  be  the  brig  Solon,  of  Ply- 
mouth, from  the  Connecticut  river,  and  last  from  New 
York,  bound  to  the  Spanish  M'ain,  with  a cargo  of  fresh 
provisions,  mules,  tin  bake-pans,  and  other  notions . The 
onions  were  genuine  and  fresh  ; and  the  mate  of  the  brig 
told  the  men  in  the  boat,  as  he  passed  the  bunches  over 
the  side,  that  the  girls  had  strung  them  on  purpose  for  us 
the  day  he  sailed.  We  had  supposed,  on  board,  that  a new 
president  had  been  chosen,  the  last  winter,  and,  just  as 
we  filled  away,  the  captain  hailed  and  asked  who  was 
president  of  the  United  States.  They  answered,  Andrew 
Jackson  ; but  thinking  that  the  old  general  could  not 
have  been  elected  for  a third  time,  we  hailed  again,  and 
they  answered — Jack  Downing  ; and  left  us  to  correct  the 
mistake  at  our  leisure. 

It  was  just  dinner-time  when  we  filled  away ; and  the 
steward,  taking  a few  bunches  of  onions  for  the  cabin, 
gave  the  rest  to  us,  with  a bottle  of  vinegar.  We  carried 
them  forward,  stowed  them  away  in  the  forecastle,  refus- 
ing to  have  them  cooked,  and  ate  them  raw,  with  our  beef 
and  bread.  And  a glorious  treat  they  were.  The  fresh- 
ness and  crispness  of  the  raw  onion,  with  the  earthy  taste, 
give  it  a great  relish  to  one  who  has  been  a long  time  on 
salt  provisions.  We  were  perfectly  ravenous  after  them. 
It  was  like  a scent  of  blood  to  a hound.  We  ate  them  at 
every  meal,  by  the  dozen  ; and  filled  our  pockets  with 
them,  to  eat  in  our  watch  on  deck  ; and  the  bunches,  rising 
in  the  form  of  a cone,  from  the  largest  at  the  bottom,  to 
the  smallest,  no  larger  than  a strawberry,  at  the  top,  soon 


332 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


disappeared.  The  chief  use,  however,  of  the  fresh 
provisions,  was  for  the  men  with  the  scurvy.  One  of 
them  was  able  to  eat,  and  he  soon  brought  himself  to,  by 
gnawing  upon  raw  potatoes  ; but  the  other,  by  this  time, 
was  hardly  able  to  open  his  mouth ; and  the  cook  took 
the  potatoes  raw,  pounded  them  in  a mortar,  and  gave 
him  the  juice  to.  drink.  This  he  swallowed,  by  the  tea- 
spoonful at  a time,  and  rinsed  it  about  his  gums  and 
throat.  The  strong  earthy  taste  and  smell  of  this  extract 
of  the  raw  potatoe  at  first  produced  a shuddering  through 
his  whole  frame,  and  after  drinking  it,  an  acute  pain, 
which  ran  through  all  parts  of  his  body ; but  knowing,  by 
this,  that  it  was  taking  strong  hold,  he  persevered,  drink- 
ing a spoonful  every  hour  or  so,  and  holding  it  a long 
time  in  his  mouth  ; until,  by  the  effect  of  this  drink,  and 
of  his  own  restored  hope  (for  he  had  nearly  given  up,  in 
despair),  he  became  so  well  as  to  be  able  to  move  about, 
and  open  his  mouth  enough  to  eat  the  raw  potatoes  and 
onions  pounded  into  a soft  pulp.  This  course  soon 
restored  his  appetite  and  strength  ; and  in  ten  days  after 
we  spoke  the  Solon,  so  rapid  was  his  recovery,  that,  from 
lying  helpless  and  almost  hopeless  in  his  berth,  he  was  at 
the  mast-head,  furling  a royal. 

With  a fine  southwest  wind,  we  passed  inside  of  the 
Bermudas ; and  notwithstanding  the  old  couplet,  which 
was  quoted  again  and  again  by  those  who  thought  we 
should  have  one  more  touch  of  a storm  before  our  voyage 
was  up, — 

“ If  the  Bermudas  let  you  pass, 

You  must  beware  of  Iiatteras — n 

we  were  to  the  northward  of  Hatteras,  with  good  weather, 
and  beginning  to  count,  not  the  days,  but  the  hours,  to  the 
time  when  we  should  be  at  anchor  in  Boston  harbor. 

Our  ship  was  in  fine  order,  all  hands  having  been  hard 
at  work  upon  her  from  daylight  to  dark,  every  day  but 
Sunday,  from  the  time  we'  got  into  warm  weather  on  this 
side  the  Cape. 

It  is  a common  notion  with  landsmen  that  a ship  is  in 
her  finest  condition  when  she  leaves  port  to  enter  upon 
her  voyage  ; and  that  she  comes  home,  after  a long 
absence. 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


333 


“ With  over-weathered  ribs  and  ragged  sails ; 

Lean,  rent  and  beggared  by  the  strumpet  wind.” 

But  so  far  from  that,  unless  a ship  meets  with  some 
accident,  or  conies  upon  the  coast  in  the  dead  of  winter, 
when  work  cannot  be  done  upon  the  rigging,  she  is  in  her 
finest  order  at  the  end  of  the  voyage.  When  she  sails 
from  port,  her  rigging  is  generally  slack  ; the  masts  need 
staying ; the  decks  and  sides  are  black  and  dirty  from 
taking  in  cargo  ; rigged  seizings  and  overhand  knots  in 
place  of  nice  seaman  like  work ; and  everything,  to  a 
sailor’s  eye,  adrift.  But  on  the  passage  home,  the  fine 
weather  between  the  tropics  is  spent  in  putting  the  ship 
into  the  neatest  order.  No  merchant  vessel  looks  better 
than  an  Indiaman,  or  a Cape  Horn-er,  after  a long  voyage  ; 
and  many  captains  and  mates  will  stake  their  reputation 
for  seamanship  upon  the  appearance  of  their  ship  when 
she  hauls  into  the  dock.  All  our  standing  rigging,  fore 
and  aft,  was  set  up  and  tarred  ; the  masts  stayed  ; the 
lower  and  top-mast  rigging  rattled  down  (or,  up,  as  the 
fashion  now  is  ;)  and  so  careful  were  our  officers  to  keep 
the  rattlins  taught  and  straight,  that  we  were  obliged  to 
ga  aloft  upon  the  ropes  and  shearpoles  with  which  the  rig- 
ging was  swifted  in  ; and  these  were  used  as  jury  rattlins 
until  we  got  close  upon  the  coast.  After  this,  the  ship 
was  scraped,  inside  and  out,  decks,  masts,  booms  and  all  ; 
a stage  being  rigged  outside,  upon  which  we  scraped  her 
down  to  the  water-line  ; pounding  the  rust  off  the  chains, 
bolts  and  fastenings.  Then,  taking  two  days  of  calm 
under  the  line,  we  painted  her  on  the  outside,  giving  her 
open  ports  in  her  streak,  and  finishing  off  the  nice  work 
upon  the  stern,  where  sat  Neptune  in  his  car,  holding  his 
trident,  drawn  by  sea  horses  ; and  re-touched  the  gilding 
and  coloring  of  the  cornucopia  which  ornamented  her 
billet-head.  The  inside  was  then  painted,  from  the  sky- 
sail  truck  to  the  waterways — the  yards  black  ; mastheads 
and  tops,  white ; monkey-rail,  black,  white  and  yellow ; 
bulwarks,  green  ; plank-shear,  white  ; waterways,  lead 
color,  etc.  etc.  The  anchors  and  ring-bolts,  and  other 
iron  work,  were  blackened  with  coal-tar ; and  the  steward 
kept  at  work,  polishing  the  brass  of  the  wheel,  bell, 
capstan,  etc.  The  cabin,  too,  was  scraped,  varnished,  and 


334 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


painted;  and  the  forecastle  scraped  and  scrubbed  ; there 
being  no  need  of  paint  and  varnish  for  Jack’s  quarters. 
The  decks  were  then  scraped  and  varnished,  and  every- 
thing useless  thrown  overboard  ; among  which,  the  empty 
tar  barrels  were  set  on  fire  and  thrown  overboard,  of  a 
dark  night,  and  left  blazing  astern",  lighting  up  the  ocean 
for  miles.  Add  to  all  this  labor,  the  neat  work  upon  the 
rigging ; — the  knots,  flemish-eyes,  splices,  seizings,  cover- 
ings, pointings,  and  graffings,  which  show  a ship  in  crack 
order.  The  last  preparation,  and  which  looked  still  more 
like  coming  into  port,  was  getting  the  anchors  over  the 
bows,  bending  the  cables,  rowsing  the  hawsers  up  from 
between  decks,  and  overhauling  the  deep-sea-lead-line. 

Thursday  September  i$th.  This  morning  the  tem- 
perature and  peculiar  appearance  of  the  water, the  quantities 
of  gulf-weed  floating  about,  and  a bank  of  clouds  lying 
directly  before  us,  showed  that  we  were  on  the  border  of 
the  Gulf  Stream.  This  remarkable  current,  running  north* 
east,  nearly  across  the  ocean,  is  almost  constantly  shrouded 
in  clouds,  and  is  the  region  of  storms  and  heavy  seas. 
Vessels  often  run  from  a clear  sky  and  light  wind,  with  all 
sail,  at  once  into  a heavy  sea  and  cloudy  sky,  with  double- 
reefed  top-sails.  A sailor  told  me  that  on  a passage  from 
Gibraltar  to  Boston,  his  vessel  neared  the  Gulf  Stream 
with  a light  breeze,  clear  sky,  and  studding-sails  out,  alow 
and  aloft  , while,  before  it  was  a long  line  of  heavy,  black 
clouds,  lying  like  a bank  upon  the  water,  and  a vessel 
coming  out  of  it,  under  double-reefed  top-sails,  and  with 
royal  yards  sent  down.  As  they  drew  near,  they  began 
to  take  in  sail  after  sail,  until  they  were  reduced  to  the 
same  condition  ; and,  after  twelve  or  fourteen  hours  of 
rolling  and  pitching  in  a heavy  sea,  before  a smart  gale, 
they  ran  out  of  the  bank  on  the  other  side,  and  were  in 
fine  weather  again,  and  under  their  royals  and  sky-sails. 
As  we  drew  into  it,  the  sky  became  cloudy,  the  sea  high, 
and  everything  had  the  appearance  of  the  going  off,  or  the 
coming  on,  of  a storm.  It  was  blowing  no  more  than  a 
stiff  breeze  ; yet  the  wind,  being  northeast,  which  is 
directly  against  the  course  of  the  current,  made  an  ugly, 
chopping  sea,  which  heaved  and  pitched  the  vessel  about 
so  that  we  were  obliged  to  send  down  the  royal  yards,  and 
to  take  in  our  light  sails.  At  noon,  the  thermometer. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


335 


which  had  been  repeatedly  lowered  into  the  water,  showed 
the  temperature  to  be  seventy  ; which  was  considerably 
above  that  of  the  air, — as  is  always  the  case  in  the  centre 
of  the  Stream.  A lad  who  had  been  at  work  at  the  royal 
mast-head,  came  down  upon  deck,  and  took  a turn  round 
the  long-boat ; and  looking  very  pale,  said  he  was  so  sick 
that  he  could  stay  aloft  no  longer,  b.ut  was  ashamed  to 
acknowledge  it  to  the  officer.  He  went  up  again,  but 
soon  gave  out  and  came  down,  and  leaned  over  the  rail,  “ as 
sick  as  a lady  passenger.”  He  had  been  to  sea  several  years, 
and  had,  he  said,  never  been  sick  before.  He  was  made  so 
by  the  irregular,  pitching  motion  of  the  vessel,  increased 
by  the  height  to  whic^  he  had  been  above  the  hull,  which 
is  like  the  fulcrum  of  the  lever.  An  old  sailor,  who  was 
at  work  on  the  top-gallant  yard,  said  he  felt  disagreeably 
all  the  time,  and  was  glad,  when  his  job  was  done,  to  get 
down  into  the  top,  or  upon  deck.  Another  hand  was  sent 
to  the  royal  masthead,  who  staid  nearly  an  hour,  but  gave 
up.  The  work  must  be  done,  and  the  mate  sent  me.  I 
did  very  well  for  some  time,  but  began  at  length  to  feel 
very  unpleasantly,  though  I had  never  been  sick  since  the 
first  two  days  from  Boston,  and  had  been  in  all  sorts  of 
of  weather  and  situations.  Still,  I kept  my  place,  and  did 
not  come  down,  until  I had  got  through  my  work,  which 
was  more  than  two  hours.  The  ship  certainly  never  acted 
so  badly  before.  She  was  pitched  and  jerked  about  in  all 
manner  of  ways  ; the  sails  seeming  to  have  no  steadying 
power  over  her.  The  tapering  points  of  the  masts  made 
various  curves  and  angles  against  the  sky  overhead,  and 
sometimes,  in  one  sweep  of  an  instant,  described  an  arc  of 
more  than  forty-five  degrees,  bringing  up  with  a sudden 
jerk  which  made  it  necessary  to  hold  on  with  both  hands, 
and  then  sweeping  off,  in  another  long,  irregular  curve.  I 
was  not  positively  sick,  and  came  down  with  a look  of  indif- 
ference, yet  was  not  unwilling  to  get  upon  the  comparative 
terra  firma  of  the  deck.  A few  hours  more . carried  us 
through,  and  when  we  saw  the  sun  go  down,  upon  our 
larboard  beam,  in  the  direction  of  the  continent  of  North 
America,  we  had  left  the  bank  of  dark,  stormy  clouds 
astern,  in  the  twilight. 


33& 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Friday,  Sept.  i6th.  Lat.  38°  N.,  long,  69°  00’  W. 
A fine  southwest  wind;  every  hour  carrying  us  nearer  in 
toward  the  land.  All  hands  on  deck  at  the  dog  watch  and 
nothing  talked  about,  but  our  getting  in  ; where  we  should 
make  the  land ; whether  we  should  arrive  before  Sunday ; 
going  to  church  ; how  Boston  would  look  ; friends  ; wages 
paid ; — and  the  like.  Every  one  was  in  the  best  spirits  ; 
and,  the  voyage  being  nearly  at  an  end,  the  strictness  of 
discipline  was  relaxed ; for  it  was  not  necessary  to  order 
in  a cross  tone,  what  every  one  was  ready  to  do  with  a 
will.  The  little  differences  and  quarrels  which  a long 
voyage  breeds  on  board  a ship,  were  forgotten,  and  every 
one  was  friendly;  and  two  men,  who  had  been  on  the  eve 
of  a battle  half  the  voyage,  were  laying  out  a plan  together 
for  a cruise  on  shore.  When  the  mate  came  forward,  he 
talked  to  the  men,  and  said  we  should  be  on  George’s 
Bank  before  to-morrow  noon  ; and  joked  with  the  boys, 
promising  to  go  and  see  them,  and  to  take  them  down  to 
Marblehead  in  a coach. 

Saturday,  ijth.  The  wind  was  light  all  day,  which 
kept  us  back  somewhat ; but  a fine  breeze  springing  up  at 
nightfall,  we  were  running  fast  in  toward  the  land.  At 
six  o’clock  we  expected  to  have  the  ship  hove-to  for  sound- 
ings, as  a thick  fog,  coming  up,  showed  we  were  near  them  ; 
but  no  order  was  given,  and  we  kept  on  our  way.  Eight 
o’clock  came,  and  the  watch  went  below,  and,  for  the  whole 
of  the  first  hour,  the  ship  was  tearing  on,  with  studding-sails 
out,  alow  and  aloft,  and  the  night  as  dark  as  a pocket. 
At  two  bells  the  captain  came  on  deck,  and  said  a word  to 
the  mate,  when  the  studding-sails  were  hauled  into  the  tops, 
or  boom-ended,  the  after  yards  backed,  the  deep-sea-lead 
carried  forward,  and  everything  got  ready  for  sounding. 
A man  on  the  sprit-sail  yard  with  the  lead,  another  on  the 
cat  head  with  a handful  of  the  line  coiled  up,  another 
in  the  fore  chains,  another  in  the  waist  and  another 
in  the  main  chains,  each  with  a quantity  of  the  line 
coiled  away  in  his  hand.  “ All  ready  there,  foreward  ? ” 
Aye  aye,  sir  ! ” — “ He-e-ave  ? ” — “ Watch  ! ho  ! watch  1” 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST \ 


33> 


sings  out  the  man  on  the  sprit-sail  yard,  and  the  heavy 
lead  drops  into  the  water.  “ Watch  ! ho  ! watch  ! ” bawls 
the  man  on  the  cat-head,  as  the  last  fake  of  the  coil  drops 
from  his  hand,  and  “ Watch  ! ho ! watch  ! ” is  shouted 
by  each  one  as  the  line  falls  from  his  hold ; until  it 
comes  to  the  mate,  who  tends  the  lead,  and  has  the  line  in 
coils  on  the  quarter-deck.  Eighty  fathoms,  and  no  bot- 
tom ! A depth  as  great  as  the  height  of  St.  Peters  ! The  line 
is  snatched  in  a block  upon  the  swifter,  and  three  or  four 
men  haul  it  in  and  coil  it  away.  The  after  yards  are 
braced  full,  the  studding-sails  hauled  out  again,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  more  the  ship  had  her  whole  way  upon  her. 
At  four  bells,  backed  again,  hove  the  lead,  and — sounding ! 
at  sixty  fathoms!  Hurrah  for  Yankee  land!  Hand  over 
hand,  we  hauled  the  lead  in,  and  the  captain,  taking  it  to 
the  light,  found  black  mud  on  the  bottom.  Studding-sails 
taken  in  ; after  yards  filled,  and  ship  kept  on  under  easy 
sail  all  night ; the  wind  dying  away. 

The  soundings  on  the  American  coast  are  so  regular 
that  a navigator  knows  as  well  where  he  has  made  land, 
by  the  soundings,  as  he  would  by  seeing  the  land.  Black 
mud  is  the  soundings  of  Block  Island.  As  you  go  toward 
Nantucket,  it  changes  to  a dark  sand  ; then,  sand  and 
white  shells  ; and  on  George’s  Banks,  white  sands  ; and 
so  on.  Being  off  Block  Island,  our  course  was  due  east, 
to  Nantucket  shoals,  and  the  South  Channel ; but  the  wind 
died  away  and  left  us  becalmed  in  a thick  fog,  in  which  we 
lay  the  whole  of  Sunday.  At  noon  of 

Sunday , 1 8tk,  Block  Island  bore,  by  calculation,  N.  W. 
i W.  fifteen  miles  ; but  the  fog  was  so  thick  all  day  that  we 
could  see  nothing. 

Having  got  through  the  ship’s  duty,  and  washed  and 
shaved,  we  went  below,  and  had  a fine  time  overhauling  our 
Chests,  laying  aside  the  clothes  we  meant  to  go  ashore  in, 
and  throwing  overboard  all  that  were  worn  out  and  good 
for  nothing.  Away  went  the  woollen  caps  in  which  we  had 
carried  hides  upon  our  heads,  for  sixteen  months,  on  the 
coast  of  California  ; the  duck  frocks,  for  tarring  down  rig- 
ging; and  the  worn-out  and  darned  mittens  and  patched 
woollen  trowsers  which  had  stood  the  tug  of  Cape  Plorn. 
We  hove  them  overboard  with  a good  will ; for  there  is 
nothing  like  being  quit  of  the  very  last  appendages  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


338 

remnants  of  our  evil  fortune.  We  got  our  chests  all  ready 
for  going  ashore  ; ate  the  last  ‘ duff  ’ we  expected  to  have 
on  board  the  ship  Alert ; and  talked  as  confidential  about 
matters  on  shore  as  though  our  anchor  were  on  the 
bottom. 

“ Who’ll  go  to  church  with  me  a week  from  to-day  ? ** 

“ I will,”  says  Jack  ; who  says  aye  to  everything. 

“ Go  away,  salt  water  ! ” says  Tom.  “ As  soon  as  I get 
both  legs  ashore,  I’m  going  to  shoe  my  heels,  and  button 
my  ears  behind  me,  and  start  off  into  the  bush,  a straight 
course,  and  not  stop  till  I’m  out  of  the  sight  ot  salt  water  ! ” 
“ O ! belay  that ! Spin  that  yarn  where  nobody  knows 
your  filling  ! If  you  get  once  moored,  stem  and  stern,  in 

old  B ’s  grog  shop,  with  a coal  fire  ahead  and  the  bar 

under  your  lee,  you  won’t  see  daylight  for  three  weeks !” 

“ No ! ” says  Tom,  “ I’m  going  to  knock  off  grog,  and 
go  and  board  at  the  Home,  and  see  if  they  won’t  ship  me 
for  a deacon ! ” 

“ And  I,”  says  Bill,  “ am  going  to  buy  a quadrant  and 
ship  for  navigator  of  a Higham  packet ! ” 

These  and  the  like  jokes  served  to  pass  the  time  while 
we  were  lying  waiting  for  a breeze  to  clear  up  the  fog  and 
send  us  on  our  way. 

Toward  night  a moderate  breeze  sprang  up ; the  fog 
however  continuing  as  thick  as  before , and  we  kept  on  to 
the  eastward.  About  the  middle  of  the  first  watch,  a man 
on  the  forecastle  sang  out,  in  a tone  which  showed  that 
there  was  not  a moment  to  be  lost, — “ Hard  up  the  helm  ! ” 
and  a great  ship  loomed  up  out  of  the  fog,  coming  directly 
down  upon  us.  She  luffed  at  the  same  moment,  and  we 
just  passed  one  another ; our  spanker  boom  grazing  over 
her  quarter.  The  officer  on  deck  had  only  time  to  hail,  and 
she  answered,  as  she  went  into  the  fog  again,  something 
about  Bristol — Probably,  a whaleman  from  Bristol,  Rhode 
Island,  bound  out.  The  fog  continued  through  the  night, 
with  a very  light  breeze,  before  which  we  ran  to  the  east- 
ward, literally  feeling  our  way  along,  The  lead  was 
heaved  every  two  hours  and  the  gradual  change  from  black 
mud  to  sand,  showed  that  we  were  approaching  Nantucket 
South  Shoals.  On  Monday  morning,  the  increased  depth 
and  deep  blue  color  of  the  water,  and  the  mixture  of  shells 
and  white  sand  which  we  brought  up,  upon  sounding, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


339 


showed  that  we  were  in  the  channel,  and  nearing  George’s; 
accordingly,  the  ship’s  head  was  put  directly  to  the  north- 
ward, and  we  stood  on,  with  perfect  confidence  in  the 
soundings,  though  we  had  not  taken  an  observation  for  two 
days,  nor  seen  land  ; and  the  difference  of  an  eighth  of  a 
mile  out  of  the  way  might  put  us  ashore.  Throughout  the 
day  a provokingly  light  wind  prevailed,  and  at  eight  o’clock, 
a small  fishing  schooner,  which  we  passed,  told  us  we  were 
nearly  abreast  of  Chatham  lights.  Just  before  midnight, 
a light  land-breeze  sprang  up,  which  carried  us  well 
along  ; and  at  four  o’clock,  thinking  ourselves  to  the  north- 
ward of  Race  Point,  we  hauled  upon  the  wind  and  stood 
into  the  bay,  north-northwest,  for  Boston  light,  and  com- 
menced firing  guns  for  a pilot.  Our  watch  went  below  at 
four  o’clock,  but  could  not  sleep,  for  the  watch  on  deck 
were  banging  away  at  the  guns  every  few  minutes.  And, 
indeed,  we  cared  very  little  about  it,  for  we  were  in  Bos- 
ton Bay  ; and  if  fortune  favored  us,  we  could  all  “ sleep  in  ” 
the  next  night,  with  nobody  to  call  the  watch  every  four 
hours. 

We  turned  out,  of  our  own  will,  at  daybreak,  to  get  a 
sight  of  land.  In  the  gray  of  the  morning,  one  or  two 
small  fishing  smacks  peered  out  of  the  mist ; and  when  the 
broad  day  broke  upon  us,  there  lay  the  low  sand-hills  of 
Cape  Cod,  over  our  larboard  quarter,  and  before  us  the 
wide  waters  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  with  here  and  there 
a sail  gliding  over  its  smooth  surface;  As  we  drew  in  to- 
ward the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  as  toward  a focus,  the  ves- 
sels began  to  multiply,  until  the  bay  seemed  actually  alive 
with  sails  gliding  about  in  every  direction  ; some  on  the 
wind,  and  others  before  it,  as  they  were  bound  to  or  from 
the  emporium  of  trade  and  centre  of  the  bay.  It  was  a 
stirring  sight  for  us,  who  had  been  months  on  the  ocean 
without  seeing  anything  but  two  solitary  sails  ; and  over 
two  years  without  seeing  more  than  the  three  or  four 
traders  on  an  almost  desolate  coast.  There  were  the  lit- 
tle coasters,  bound  to  and  from  the  various  towns  along 
the  south  shore,  down  in  the  bight  of  the  bay,  and  to  the 
eastward ; here  and  there  a square-rigged  vessel  standing 
out  to  seaward  ; and  far  in  the  distance,  beyond  Cape  Ann, 
was  the  smoke  of  a steamer,  stretching  along  in  a narrow, 
black  cloud  upon  the  water.  Every  sight  was  full  of 


340 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


beauty  and  interest,  We  were  coming  back  to  cur  homes ; 
and  the  signs  of  civilization  and  prosperity,  and  happiness, 
from  which  we  had  been  so  long  banished,  were  multiply- 
ing about  us.  The  high  land  of  Cape  Ann  and  the  rocks 
and  shore  of  Cohasset  were  full  in  sight,  the  lighthouses 
standing  like  sentries  in  white  before  the  harbors,  and  even 
the  smoke  from  the  chimneys  on  the  plains  of  Higham, 
was  seen  rising  slowly  in  the  morning  air.  One  of  our  boys 
was  the  son  of  a bucket-maker ; and  his  face  lighted  up  as 
he  saw  the  tops  of  the  well-known  hills  which  surround  his 
native  place.  About  ten  o’clock  a little  boat  came  bob- 
bing over  the  water,  and  put  a pilot  on  board,  and  sheered 
off  in  pursuit  of  other  vessels  bound  in,  Being  now  with- 
in the  scope  of  the  telegraph  stations,  our  signals  were  ran 
up  at  the  fore,  and  in  half  an  hour  afterwards,  the  owner 
on  ’change,  or  in  his  counting-room,  knew  that  his  ship 
was  below;  and  the  landlords,  runners,  and  sharks  in  Ann 
street  learned  that  there  was  a rich  prize  for  them  down 
in  the  bay  ; a ship  from  round  the  Horn,  with  a crew  to  be 
paid  off  with  two  years’  wages. 

The  wind  continuing  very  light ; all  hands  were  sent 
aloft  to  strip  off  the  chafing  gear  ; and  battens,  pacellings, 
roundings,  hoops,  mats,  and  leathers,  came  flying  from 
aloft,  and  left  the  rigging  neat  and  clean,  stripped  of  all  its 
sea  bandaging.  The  last  touch  was  put  to  the  vessel  by 
painting  the  sky-sail  poles ; and  I was  sent  up  to  the  fore, 
with  a bucket  of  white  paint  and  a brush,  and  touched  her 
off,  from  the  truck  to  the  eyes  of  the  royal  rigging.  At 
noon,  we  lay  becalmed  off  the  lower  lighthouse  ; and  it 
being  about  slack  water,  we  made  little  progress.  A firing 
was  heard  in  the  direction  of  Hingham,  and  the  pilot 
said  there  was  a review  there.  The  Hingham  boy  got  wind 
of  this,  and  said  if  the  ship  had  been  twelve  hours  sooner, 
he  should  have  been  down  among  the  soldiers,  and  in  the 
booths,  and  having  a grand  time.  As  it  was,  we  had  little 
prospect  of  getting  in  before  night.  About  two  o’clock  a 
breeze  sprang  up  ahead,  from  the  westward,  and  we  began 
beating  up  against  it.  A full-rigged  brig  was  beating  in  at 
the  same  time,  and  we  passed  one  another,  in  our  tacks, 
sometimes  one  and  sometimes  the  other,  working  to  wind- 
ward, as  the  wind  and  the  tide  favored  or  opposed.  It  was 
my  trick  at  the  wheel  from  two  till  four ; and  I stood  my 


TWO  YEATS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


341 


last  helm,  making  between  nine  hundred  and  a thousand 
hours  which  I had  spent  at  the  helms  of  our  two  vessels. 
The  tide  beginning  to  set  against  us,  we  made  slow  work  ; 
and  the  afternoon  was  nearly  spent,  before  we  got  abreast 
of  the  inner  light.  In  the  meantime,  several  vessels  were 
coming  down,  outward  bound  ; among  which,  a fine,  large 
ship,  with  yards  squared,  fair  wind  and  fair  tide,  passed  us 
iike  a race-horse,  the  men  running  out  upon  her  yards  to 
rig  out  the  studding-sail  booms.  Toward  sundown  the 
wind  came  off  in  flaws,  sometimes  blowing  very  stiff,  so 
that  the  pilot  took  in  the  royals,  and  then  it  died  away ; 
when,  in  order  to  get  us  in  before  the  tide  became  too 
strong,  the  royals  were  set  again.  As  this  kept  us  running 
up  and  down  the  rigging  all  the  time,  one  hand  was  sent 
aloft  at  each  mast-head,  to  stand  by  to  loose  and  furl  the 
sails,  at  the  moment  of  the  orders.  I took  my  place  at  the 
fore,  and  loosed  and  furled  the  royal  five  times  between 
Rainsford  Island  and  the  Castle.  At  one  track  we  ran  so 
near  to  Rainsford  Island,  that,  looking  down  from  the 
royal  yard,  the  island,  with  its  hospital  buildings,  nice  grav- 
elled walks,  and  green  plats,  seemed  to  lie  directly  under 
our  yardarms.  So  close  is  the  channel  to  some  of  these 
islands  that  we  ran  the  end  of  our  flying-jib- boom  over  one 
of  the  out-works  of  the  fortifications  on  George’s  Island  ; 
and  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  advantages  of  that 
point  as  a fortified  place  ; for,  in  working  up  the  channel, 
we  presented  a fair  stem  and  stern,  for  raking,  from  the 
batteries,  three  or  four  times.  One  gun  might  have  knocked 
us  to  pieces. 

We  had  all  set  our  hearts  upon  gett'ng  up  to  town  be. 
fore  night  and  going  ashore,  but  the  tide  beginning  to 
run  strong  against  us,  and  the  wind,  what  there  was  of 
it,  being  ahead,  we  made  but  little  by  weather-bowing  the 
tide,  and  the  pilot  gave  orders  to  cock-bill  the  anchor  and 
overhaul  the  chain.  Making  two  long  stretches,  which 
brought  us  into  the  roads,  under  the  lee  of  the  Castle,  he 
clewed  up  the  top-sails,  and  let  go  the  anchor : and  for 
the  first  time  since  leaving  San  Diego, — one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  days— our  anchor  was  upon  bottom.  In  half 
an  hour  more,  we  were  lying  snugly,  with  all  sails  furled, 
safe  in  Boston  harbor  ; our  long  voyage  ended  ; the  well- 
known  scene  about  us  ; the  dome  of  the  State  House  fad- 


342 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


ing  in  the  western  sky  ; the -lights  of  the  city  starting  into 
sight  as  the  darkness  came  on  ; and  at  nine  o’clock  the 
clangor  of  the  bells,  ringing  their  accustomed  peals,  among 
which  the  Boston  boys  tried  to  distinguish  the  well-known 
tone  of  the  Old  South. 

We  had  just  done  furling  the  sails,  when  a beautiful 
little  pleasure-boat  luffed  up  into  the  wind,  under  our 
quarter,  and  the  junior  partner  of  the  firm  to  which  our 
ship  belonged,  jumped  on  board.  I saw  him  from  the 
mizen  top-sail  yard,  and  knew  him  well.  He  shook  the 
captain  by  the  hand,  and  went  down  into  the  cabin,  and 
in  a few  moments  came  up  and  inquired  of  the  mate  for 
me.  The  last  time  I had  seen  him,  I was  in  the  uniform 
of  an  under-graduate  of  Harvard  College,  and  now,  to  his 
astonishment,  there  came  down  from  aloft  a “ rough  alley” 
looking  fellow,  with  duck  trowsers  and  red  shirt,  long  hair, 
and  face  burnt  as  black  as  an  Indian’s.  He  shook  me  by 
the  hand,  congratulated  me  upon  my  return  and  my  ap- 
pearance of  health  and  strength,  and  said  my  friends  were 
all  well.  I thanked  him  for  telling  me  what  I should  not 
have  dared  to  ask  ; and  if — 

“ the  first  bringer  of  unwelcome  news 

Hath  but  a losing  office  ; and  his  tongue 

Sounds  ever  after  like  a sullen  bell — ” 

certainly  I shall  ever  remember  this  man  and  his  words 
with  pleasure. 

The  captain  went  up  to  town  in  the  boat  with  Mr. 

H , and  left  us  to  pass  another  night  on  board  ship, 

and  to  come  up  with  the  morning’s  tide  under  command  of 
the  pilot. 

So  much  did  we  feel  ourselves  to  be  already  at  home, 
in  anticipation,  that  our  plain  supper  of  hard  bread,  and 
salt  beef  was  barely  touched  ; and  many  on  board,  to 
whom  this  was  the  first  voyage,  could  scarcely  sleep.  As 
for  myself,  by  one  of  those  anomalous  changes  of  feeling 
of  which  we  are  all  the  subjects,  I found  that  I was  in  a 
state  of  indifference,  for  which  I could  by  no  means  ac- 
count. A year  before,  while  carrying  hides  on  the  coast, 
the  assurance  that  in  a twelvemonth  we  should  see  Boston, 
made  me  half  wild  ; but  now  that  I was  actually  there, 
and  in  sight  of  home,  the  emotions  which  I had  so  long 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  TIIE  MAST. 


343 


anticipated  feeling,  I did  not  find,  and  in  their  place  was 
a state  of  very  nearly  entire  apathy.  Something  of  the 
same  experience  was  related  to  me  by  a sailor  whose  first 
voyage  was  one  of  five  years  upon  the  Northwest  Coast. 
He  had  left  home,  a lad,  and  after  several  years  of  very 
hard  and  trying  experience,  found  himself  homeward 
bound  ; and  such  was  the  excitement  of  his  feelings  that 
during  the  whole  passage,  he  could  talk  and  think  of  noth- 
ing else  but  his  arrival,  and  how  and  when  he  should  jump 
from  the  vessel  and  take  his  way  directly  home.  Yet 
when  the  vessel  was  made  fast  to  the  wharf  and  the  crew 
dismissed,  he  seemed  suddenly  to  lose  all  feeling  about 
the  matter.  He  told  me  that  he  went  below  and  changed 
his  dress;  took  some  water  from  the  scuttle-butt  and 
washed  himself  leisurely  ; overhauled  his  chest,  and  put 
his  clothes  all  in  order ; took  his  pipe  from  its  place,  filled 
it,  and  sitting  down  upon  his  chest,  smoked  it  slowly  for 
the  last  time.  Here  he  looked  round  upon  the  forecastle 
in  which  he  had  spent  so  many  years,  and  being  alone  and 
his  shipmates  scattered,  he  began  to  feel  actually  unhappy. 
Home  became  almost  a dream  ; and  it  was  not  until  his 
brother  (who  had  heard  of  the  ship’s  arrival)  came  down 
into  the  forecastle  and  told  him  of  things  at  home,  and 
who  were  waiting  there  to  see  him,  that  he  could  realize 
where  he  was,  and  feel  interest  enough  to  put  him  in 
motion  toward  that  place  for  which  he  had  longed,  and  of 
which  he  had  dreamed,  for  years.  There  is  probably  so 
much  of  excitement  in  prolonged  expectation,  that  the 
quiet  realizing  of  it  produces  a momentary  stagnation  of 
feeling  as  well  as  of  effort.  It  was  a good  deal  so  with 
me.  The  activity  of  preparation,  the  rapid  progress  of  the 
ship,  the  first  making  land,  the  coming  up  the  harbor,  and 
old  scenes  breaking  upon  the  view,  produced  a mental 
as  well  as  bodily  activity,  from  which  the  change  to  a 
perfect  stillness,  when  both  expectation  and  the  necessity 
of  labor  failed,  left  a calmness,  almost  of  indifference, 
from  which  I must  be  roused  by  some  new  excitement. 
And  the  next  morning,  when  all  hands  were  called,  and  we 
were  busily  at  work,  cleaning  the  decks,  and  gettiqg  every- 
thing in  readiness  for  going  up  to  the  wharves, — loading 
the  guns  for  a salute,  loosing  the  sails,  and  manning  the 
windlass — mind  and  body  seemed  to  wake  together. 


344 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


About  ten  o’clock,  a sea-breeze  sprang  up,  and  the 
pilot  gave  orders  to  get  the  ship  under  weigh.  All  hands 
manned  the  windlass,  and  the  long-drawn  “ Yo,  heave  ho  ! ” 
which  we  had  last  heard  dying  away  among  the  desolate 
hills  of  San  Diego,  soon  brought  the  anchor  to  the  bows  ; 
and,  with  a fair  wind  and  tide,  a bright  sunny  morning, 
royals  and  sky-sails  set,  ensign,  streamer,  signals,  and  pen- 
nant, flying,  and  with  our  guns  firing,  we  came  swiftly  and 
handsomely  up  to  the  city.  Off  the  end  of  the  wharf,  we 
rounded-to  and  let  go  our  anchor ; and  no  sooner  was  it  on 
the  bottom,  than  the  decks  were  filled  with  people  ; custom- 
house officers  ; Topliff’s  agent,  to  inquire  for  news  ; others, 
inquiring  for  friends  on  board,  or  left  upon  the  coast ; 
dealers  in  grease,  besieging  the  galley  to  a make  a bar- 
gain with  the  cook  for  his  slush;  “ loafers”  in  general; 
and  landlords  and  boarding-house  runners,  to  secure  their 
men.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  obliging  disposition  of 
these  runners,  and  the  interest  they  take  in  a sailor  re- 
turned from  a long  voyage  with  a plenty  of  money.  Two 
or  three  of  them,  at  different  times,  took  me  by  the  hand ; 
remembered  me  perfectly  ; were  quite  sure  I had  boarded 
with  them  before  I sailed  ; were  delighted  to  see  me  back  ; 
gave  me  their  cards  ; had  a hand-cart  waiting  on  the  wharf, 
on  purpose  to  take  my  things  up ; would  lend  me  a hand 
the  get  my  chest  ashore  ; bring  a bottle  of  grog  on  board  if 
we  did  not  haul  in  immediately, — and  the  like.  In  fact, 
we  could  hardly  get  clear  of  them,  to  go  aloft  and  furl  the 
sails.  Sail  after  sail,  for  the  hundredth  time,  in  fair  weather 
and  in  foul,  we  furled  now  for  the  last  time  together,  and 
came  down  and  took  the  warp  ashore,  manned  the  capstan, 
and  with  a chorus  which  waked  up  half  the  North  End,  and 
rang  among  the  buildings  in  the  dock,  we  hauled  her  in  to 
the  wharf.  Here,  too,  the  landlords  and  runners  were  ac- 
tive and  ready,  taking  a bar  to  the  capstan,  lending  a hand 
at  the  ropes,  laughing  and  talking  and  telling  the  news. 
The  city  bells  were  just  ringing  one  when  the  last  turn  was 
made  fast,  and  the  crew  dismissed ; and  in  five  minutes 
more,  not  a soul  was  left  on  board  the  good  ship  Alert,  but 
the  old  ship-keeper,  who  had  come  down  from  the  count- 
ing-house to  take  charge  of  hei. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


345 


CONCLUDING  CHAPTER, 

I trust  that  they  who  have  followed  me  to  the  end  of 
my  narrative,  will  not  refuse  to  carry  their  attention  a little 
farther,  to  the  concluding  remarks  which  I here  present  to 
them. 

This  chapter  is  written  after  the  lapse  of  a considerable 
time  since  the  end  of  my  voyage,  and  after  a return  to  my 
former  pursuits ; and  in  it  I design  to  offer  those  views  of 
what  may  be  done  for  seamen,  and  of  what  is  already  doing, 
which  I have  deduced  from  my  experiences,  and  from  the 
attention  which  I have  since  gladly  given  to  the  subject. 

The  romantic  interest  which  many  take  in  the  sea,  and 
in  those  who  live  upon  it,  may  be  of  use  in  exciting  their 
attention  to  this  subject,  though  I cannot  but  feel  sure  that 
all  who  have  followed  me  in  my  narrative  must  be  con- 
vinced that  the  sailor  has  no  romance  in  his  every-day  life 
to  sustain  him,  but  that  it  is  very  much  the  same  plain, 
matter-of-fact  drudgery  and  hardship,  which  would  be  ex- 
perienced on  shore.  If  I have  not  produced  this  convic- 
tion, I have  failed  in  persuading  others  of  what  my  own  ex- 
perience has  most  fully  impressed  upon  myself. 

There  is  a witchery  in  the  sea,  its  songs  and  stories, 
and  in  the  mere  sight  of  a ship,  and  the  sailor’s  dress  es- 
pecially to  a young  mind,  which  has  done  more  to  man 
navies,  and  fill  merchantmen,  than  all  the  press-gangs  of 
Europe.  I have  known  a young  man  with  such  a passion 
for  the  sea,  that  the  very  creaking  of  a block  stirred  up  his 
imagination  so  that  he  could  hardly  keep  his  feet  on  dry 
ground  ; and  many  are  the  boys,  in  every  seaport,  who  are 
drawn  away,  as  by  an  almost  irresistible  attraction,  from 
their  work  and  schools,  and  hang  about  the  decks  and  yards 
of  vessels,  with  a fondness  which,  it  is  plain,  will  have  its 
way.  No  sooner,  however,  has  the  young  sailor  begun  his 
new  life  in  earnest,  than  all  this  fine  drapery  falls  off,  and 
lie  learns  that  it  is  but  work  and  hardship,  after  all.  This 
is  the  true  light  in  which  a sailors  life  is  to  be  viewed  ; and 
if  in  our  books,  and  anniversary  speeches,  we  would  leave 
out  much  that  is  said  about  “blue  water,”  “blue  jackets,” 


346  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

“ open  hearts,”  seeing  God’s  hand  on  the  deep,”  and  so 
forth,  and  take  this  up  like  any  other  practical  subject,  I 
am  quite  sure,  we  should  do  full  as  much  for  those  we  wish 
to  benefit.  The  question  is,  what  can  be  done  for  sailors, 
as  they  are, — men  to  be  fed,  and  clothed,  and  lodged,  for 
whom  laws  must  be  made  and  executed,  and  who  are  to 
be  instructed  in  useful  knowledge,  and,  above  all,  to  be 
brought  under  religious  influence  and  restraint  ? It  is  upon 
these  topics  that  I wish  to  make  a few  observations. 

In  the  first  place,  I have  no  fancies  about  equality  on 
board  ship.  It  is  a thing  out  of  the  question,  and  certainly, 
in  the  present  state  of  mankind,  not  to  be  desired.  I never 
knew  a sailor  who  found  fault  with  the  orders  and  ranks  of 
the  service  ; and  if  I expected  to  pass  the  rest  of  my  life 
before  the  mast,  I would  not  wish  to  have  the  power  of  the 
captain  diminished  one  iota.  It  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  there  should  be  one  head  and  one  voice,  to  control 
everything,  and  be  responsible  for  everything.  There  are 
emergencies  which  require  the  instant  exercise  of  extreme 
power.  These  emergencies  do  not  allow  of  consultation ; 
and  they  who  would  be  the  captain’s  constitutional  advisers 
might  be  the  very  men  over  whom  he  would  be  called  upon 
to  exert  his  authority.  It  has  been  found  necessary  to  vest 
in  every  government,  even  the  most  democratic,  some  ex- 
traordinary, and,  at  first  sight,  alarming  powers  ; trusting 
in  public  opinion,  and  subsequent  accountability,  to  modify 
the  exercise  of  them.  These  are  provided  to  meet  exigen 
cies,  which  all  hope  may  never  occur,  but  which  yet  by 
possibility  may  occur,  and  if  they  should,  and  there  were 
no  power  to  meet  them  instantly,  there  would  be  an  end 
put  to  the  government  at  once.  So  it  is  with  the  authority 
of  the  shipmaster.  It  will  not  answer  to  say  that  he  shall 
never  do  this  and  that  thing,  because  it  does  not  seem  al- 
ways necessary  and  advisable  that  it  should  be  done.  He 
has  great  cares  and  responsibilities;  is  answerable  for 
everything;  and  is  subject  to  emergencies  which  perhaps 
no  other  man  exercising  authority  among  civilized  people 
is  subject  to.  Let  him,  then,  have  powers  commensurate 
with  his  utmost  possible  need  ; only  let  him  be  held  strictly 
responsible  for  the  exercise  of  them.  Any  other  course 
would  be  injustice,  as  well  as  bad  policy. 

In  the  treatment  of  those  under  his  authority,  the  cap* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


347 


tain  is  amenable  to  the  common  law,  like  any  other  person. 
He  is  liable  at  common  law  for  murder,  assault  and  battery, 
and  other  offences  ; and  in  addition  to  this,  there  is  a spe- 
cial statute  of  the  United  States  which  makes  a captain  or 
other  officer  liable  to  imprisonment  for  a term  not  exceed- 
ing five  years,  and  to  a fine  not  exceeding  a thousand  dol- 
lars, for  inflicting  any  cruel  punishment  upon,  withholding 
food  from,  or  in  any  other  way  maltreating  a seaman.  This 
is  the  state  of  the  law  on  the  subject ; while  the  relation 
in  which  the  parties  stand,  and  the  peculiar  necessities, 
excuses  and  provocations  arising  from  that  relation,  are 
merely  circumstances  to  be  considered  in  each  case.  As 
to  the  restraints  upon  the  master’s  exercise  of  power,  the 
laws  themselves  seem,  on  the  whole,  to  be  sufficient.  I do 
not  see  that  we  are  in  need,  at  present,  of  more  legislation 
on  the  subject.  The  difficulty  lies  rather  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  laws  ; and  this  is  certainly  a matter  that  de- 
serves great  consideration,  and  one  of  no  little  embarrass- 
ment. 

In  the  first  place,  the  courts  have  said  that  public  policy 
requires  the  power  of  the  master  and  officers  should  be 
sustained.  Many  lives  and  a great  amount  of  property  are 
constantly  in  their  hands,  for  which  they  are  strictly  re- 
sponsible. To  preserve  these,  and  to  deal  justly  by  the 
captain,  and  not  lay  upon  him  a really  fearful  responsibility 
and  then  tie  up  his  hands,  it  is  essential  that  discipline 
should  be  supported.  In  the  second  place,  there  is  always 
great  allowance  to  be  made  for  false  swearing  and  ex- 
aggeration by  seamen,  and  for  combinations  among  them 
against  their  officers  ; and  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the 
latter  have  often  no  one  to  testify  on  their  side.  These 
are  weighty  and  true  statements,  and  should  not  be  lost 
sight  of  by  the  friends  of  seamen.  On  the  other  hand, 
sailors  make  many  complaints,  some  of  which  are  well 
founded. 

On  the  subject  of  testimony,  seamen  labor  under  a 
difficulty  full  as  great  as  that  of  the  captain.  It  is  a well 
known  fact,  that  they  are  usually  much  better  treated  when 
there  are  passengers  on  board.  The  presence  of  passen- 
gers is  a restraint  upon  the  captain,  not  only  from  his  re- 
gard to  their  feelings,  and  to  the  estimation  in  which  they 
may  hold  him,  but  because  he  knows  they  will  be  influen- 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 


348 

tial  witnesses  against  him  if  he  is  brought  to  trial.  Though 
officers  may  sometimes  be  inclined  to  show  themselves 
off  before  passengers,  by  freaks  of  office  and  authority, 
yet  cruelty  they  would  hardly  dare  to  be  guilty  of.  It 
is  on  long  and  distant  voyages,  where  there  is  no  restraint 
upon  the  captain,  and  none  but  the  crew  to  testify  against 
him,  that  sailors  need  most  the  protection  of  the  law.  On 
such  voyages  as  these,  there  are  many  cases  of  outrageous 
cruelty  on  record,  enough  to  make  one  heartsick,  and  al- 
most disgusted  with  the  sight  of  man  ; and  many,  many 
more,  which  have  never  come  to  light,  and  never  will  be 
known,  until  the  sea  shall  give  up  its  dead.  Many  of  these 
have  led  to  mutiny  and  piracy, — stripe  for  stripe,  and  blood 
for  blood.  If  on  voyages  of  this  description  the  testimony 
of  seamen  is  not  to  be  received  in  favor  of  one  another,  or 
too  great  a deduction  is  made  on  account  of  their  being 
seamen,  their  case  is  without  remedy,  and  the  captain, 
knowing  this,  will  be  strengthened  in  that  disposition  to 
tyrannize  which  the  possession  of  absolute  power,  without 
the  restraints  of  friends  and  public  opinion,  is  too  apt  to 
engender. 

It  is  to  be  considered,  also,  that  the  sailor  comes  into 
court  under  very  different  circumstances  from  the  master, 
He  is  thrown  among  landlords,  and  sharks  of  all  descrip- 
tions ; is  often  led  to  drink  freely ; and  comes  upon  the 
stand  unaided,  and  under  a certain  cloud  of  suspicion  as  to 
his  character  and  veracity.  The  captain,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  backed  by  the  owners  and  insurers,  and  has  an 
air  of  greater  respectability  ; though,  after  all,  he  may  have 
but  a little  better  education  than  the  sailor,  and  sometimes 
(especially  among  those  engaged  in  certain  voyages  that  I 
could  mention)  a very  hackneyed  conscience. 

These  are  the  considerations  most  commonly  brought 
up  on  the  subject  of  seamen’s  evidence  ; and  I think  it 
cannot  but  be  obvious  to  every  one  that  ‘here,  positive 
legislation  would  be  of  no  manner  of  use.  There  can  be 
no  rule  of  law  regulating  the  weight  to  be  given  to  sea- 
men’s evidence.  It  must  rest  in  the  mind  of  the  judge  and 
jury ; and  no  enactment  or  positive  rule  of  court  could 
vary  the  result  a hair,  in  any  one  case.  The  effect  of  a 
sailor’s  testimony  in  deciding  a case  must  depend  alto- 
gether upon  the  reputation  of  the  class  to  which  he  be* 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAS6i\ 


349 


longs,  and  upon  the  impression  he  himself  produces  in 
court  by  his  deportment,  and  by  those  infallible  marks  of 
character  which  always  tell  upon  a jury.  In  fine,  after 
all  the  well-meant  and  specious  projects  that  have  been 
brought  forward,  we  seem  driven  back  to  the  belief,  that 
the  best  means  of  securing  a fair  administration  of  the 
laws  made  for  the  protection  of  seamen,  and  certainly  the 
only  means  which  can  create  any  important  change  for  the 
better,  is  the  gradual  one  of  raising  the  intellectual  and 
religious  character  of  the  sailor,  so  that  as  an  individual, 
and.  as  one  of  a class,  he  may,  in  the  first  instance,  com- 
mand the  respect  of  his  officers,  and  if  any  difficulty  should 
happen,  may  upon  the  stand  carry  that  weight  which  an 
intelligent  and  respectable  man  of  the  lower  class  almost 
always  does  with  a jury.  I know  there  are  many  men 
who,  when  a few  cases  of  great  hardship  occur,  and  it  is 
evident  that  there  is  an  evil  somewhere,  think  that  some 
arrangement  must  be  made,  some  law  passed,  or  some 
society  got  up,  to  set  all  right  at  once.  On  this  subject 
there  can  be  no  call  for  any  such  movement ; on  the  con- 
trary, I fully  believe  that  any  public  and  strong  action 
would  do  harm,  and  that  we  must  be  satisfied  to  labor  in  the 
less  easy  and  less  exciting  task  of  gradual  improvement,  and 
abide  the  issue  of  things  working  slowly  together  for  good. 

Equally  injudicious  would  be  any  interference  with  the 
economy  of  the  ship.  The  lodging,  food,  hours  of  sleep, 
etc.,  are  all  matters  which,  though  capable  of  many  changes 
for  the  better,  must  yet  be  left  to  regulate  themselves. 
And  I am  confident  that  there  will  be,  and  that  there  is 
now  a gradual  improvement  in  all  such  particulars.  The 
forecastles  of  most  of  our  ships  are  small,  black,  and  wet 
holes,  which  few  landsmen  would  believe  held  a crew  of 
ten  or  twelve  men  on  a voyage  of  months  or  years  ; and 
often,  indeed  in  most  cases,  the  provisions  are  not  good 
enough  to  make  a meal  anything  more  than  a necessary 
part  of  a day's  duty;*  and  on  the  score  of  sleep,  I fully 

* I am  not  sure  that  I have  stated,  in  the  course  of  my  narrative, 
the  manner  in  which  sailors  eat,  on  board  ship.  There  are  neither 
tables,  knives,  forks,  nor  plates,  in  a forecastle  ; but  the  kid  (a  wooden 
tub,  with  iron  hoops)  is  placed  on  the  floor,  and  the  crew  sit  round  it, 
and  each  man  cuts  for  himself  with  the  common  jack-knife,  or  sheath 


35° 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


believe  that  the  lives  of  merchant  seamen  are  shortened 
by  the  want  of  it.  I do  not  refer  to  those  occasions  when 
it  is  necessarily  broken  in  upon  ; but,  for  months,  during 
fine  weather,  in  many  merchantmen,  all  hands  are  kept, 
throughout  the  day,  and,  then,  there  are  eight  hours  on 
deck  for  one  watch  each  night.  Thus  it  is  usually  the 
case  that  at  the  end  of  a voyage,  where  there  has  been  the 
finest  weather,  and  no  disaster,  the  crew  have  a wearied 
and  worn-out  appearance.  They  never  sleep  longer  than 
four  hours  at  a time,  and  are  seldom  called  without  being 
really  in  need  of  more  rest.  There  is  no  one  thing  that  a 
sailor  thinks  more  of  as  a luxury  of  life  on  shore,  than  a 
whole  night's  sleep.  Still,  all  these  things  must  be  left  to 
be  gradually  modified  by  circumstances.  Whenever  hard 
cases  occur,  they  should  be  made  known,  and  masters  and 
owners  should  be  held  answerable,  and  will,  no  doubt,  in 
time,  be  influenced  in  their  arrangements  and  discipline  by 
the  increased  consideration  in  which  sailors  are  held  by 
the  public.  It  is  perfectly  proper  that  the  men  should 
live  in  a different  part  of  the  vessel  from  the  officers  ; and 
if  the  forecastle  is  made  large  and  comfortable,  there  is 
no  reason  why  the  crew  should  not  live  there  as  well  as  in 
any  other  part.  In  fact,  sailors  prefer  the  forecastle.  It 
is  their  accustomed  place,  and  in  it  they  are  out  of  the 
sight  and  hearing  of  their  officers. 

As  to  their  food  and  sleep,  there  are  laws,  with  heavy 
penalties,  requiring  a certain  amount  of  stores  to  be  on 
board,  and  safely  stowed  ; and,  for  depriving  the  crew  un- 
knife that  he  carries  about  him.  They  drink  their  tea  out  of  tin  pots, 
holding  little  less  than  a quart  each. 

These  particulars  are  not  looked  upon  as  hardships,  and,  indeed, 
may  be  considered  matters  of  choice.  Sailors,  in  our  merchantmen, 
furnish  their  own  eating  utensils,  as  they  do  many  of  the  instruments 
which  they  use  in  the  ship’s  work,  such  as  knives,  palms  and  needles, 
marline-spikes,  rubbers,  etc.  And  considering  their  mode  of  life  in 
other  respects,  the  little  time  they  would  have  for  laying  and  clearing 
away  a table  with  its  apparatus,  and  the  room  it  would  take  up  in  a 
forecastle,  as  well  as  the  simple  character  of  their  meals,  consisting 
generally  of  only  one  piece  of  meat, — it  is  certainly  a convenient 
method,  and,  as  the  kid  and  pans  are  usually  kept  perfectly  clean,  a 
neat  and  simple  one.  I had  supposed  these  things  to  be  generally 
known,  until  I heard,  a few  months  ago,  a lawyer  of  repute,  who  has 
had  a good  deal  to  do  with  marine  cases,  ask  a sailor  upon  the  stand 
whether  the  crew  had  “ got  up  from  table  ” when  a certain  thing  hap- 
pened. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


35* 

necessarily  of  food  or  sleep,  the  captain  is  liable  at  com- 
mon law,  as  well  as  under  the  statute  before  referred  to. 
Farther  than  this,  it  would  not  be  safe  to  go.  The  cap- 
tain must  be  the  judge  when  it  is  necessary  to  keep  his 
crew  from  their  sleep  ; and  sometimes  a retrenching,  not 
of  the  necessaries,  but  of  some  of  the  little  niceties  of  their 
meals,  as,  for  instance,  duff  on  Sunday,  may  be  a mode  of 
punishment,  though  I think  generally  an  injudicious  one. 

I could  not  do  justice  to  this  subject  without  noticing 
one  part  of  the  discipline  of  a ship,  which  has  been  very 
much  discussed  of  late,  and  has  brought  out  strong  ex- 
pressions of  indignation  from  many, — I mean  the  infliction 
of  corporal  punishment.  Those  who  have  followed  me  in 
my  narrative  will  remember  that  I was  witness  to  an  act 
of  great  cruelty  inflicted  upon  my  own  shipmates  ; and  in- 
deed I can  sincerely  say  that  the  simple  mention  of  the 
word  flogging,  brings  up  in  me  feelings  which  I can  hardly 
control.  Yet,  when  the  proposition  is  made  to  abolish  it 
entirely  and  at  once  \ to  prohibit  the  captain  from  ever, 
under  any  circumstances,  inflicting  corporal  punishment ; 
I am  obliged  to  pause,  and,  I must  say,  to  doubt  exceed- 
ingly the  expediency  of  making  any  positive  enactment 
which  shall  have  that  effect.  If  the  design  of  those  who 
are  writing  on  this  subject  is  merely  to  draw  public  atten- 
tion to  it,  and  to  discourage  the  practice  of  flogging,  and 
bring  it  into  disrepute,  it  is  well ; and,  indeed,  whatever 
may  be  the  end  they  have  in  view,  the  mere  agitation  of 
the  question  will  have  that  effect,  and,  so  far,  must  do 
good.  Yet  I should  not  wish  to  take  the  command  of  a 
ship  to-morrow,  running  my  chance  of  a crew,  as  most 
masters  must,  and  know,  and  have  my  crew  know,  that  I 
could  not,  under  any  circumstances,  inflict  even  moderate 
chastisement.  I should  trust  that  I might  never  have  to 
resort  to  it ; and,  indeed,  I scarcely  know  what  risk  I 
would  not  run,  add  to  what  inconvenience  I would  not 
subject  myself,  rather  than  do  so.  Yet  not  to  have  the 
power  of  holding  it  up  in  terrorem , and  indeed  of  protect- 
ing myself,  and  all  under  my  charge,  by  it,  if  some  extreme 
case  should  arise,  would  be  a situation  I should  not  wish 
to  be  placed  in  myself,  or  to  take  the  responsibility  of 
placing  another  in. 

Indeed,  the  difficulties  into  which  masters  and  officers 


352 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


are  liable  to  be  thrown,  are  not  sufficiently  considered  by 
many  whose  sympathies  are  easily  excited  by  stories,  fre- 
quent enough,  and  true  enough  of  outrageous  abuse  of 
this  power.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  more  than  three 
fourths  of  the  sea  men  in  our  merchant  vessels  are  foreign- 
ers. They  are  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  A great 
many  from  the  north  of  Europe,  and  beside  Frenchmen, 
Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Italians,  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
Mediterranean,  together  with  Lascars,  Negroes  and,  perhaps 
worst  of  all,  the  off-casts  of  British  men-of-war,  and  men 
from  our  own  country  who  have  gone  to  sea  because  they 
could  not  be  permitted  to  live  on  land. 

As  things  now  are,  many  masters  are  obliged  to  sail 
without  knowing  anything  of  their  crews,  until  they  get 
out  at  sea.  There  may  be  pirates  or  mutineers  among 
them  ; and  one  bad  man  will  often  infect  all  the  rest ; and 
it  is  almost  certain  that  some  of  them  will  be  ignorant 
foreigners,  hardly  understanding  a word  of  our  language, 
accustomed  all  their  lives  to  no  influence  but  force,  and  per- 
haps nearly  as  familiar  with  the  use  of  the  knife  as  with 
that  of  the  marline-spike.  No  prudent  master,  however 
peaceably  inclined,  would  go  to  sea  without  his  pistols  and 
handcuffs.  Even  without  such  a crew  as  I have  supposed, 
kindness  and  moderation  would  be  the  best  policy,  and 
the  duty  of  every  conscientious  man  ; and  the  administer- 
ing of  corporal  punishment  might  be  dangerous,  and  of 
doubtful  use.  But  the  question  is  not,  what  a captain 
ought  generally  to  do,  but  whether  it  shall  be  put  out  of 
the  power  of  every  captain,  under  any  circumstances,  to 
make  use  of,  even  moderate,  chastisement.  As  the  law 
now  stands,  a parent  may  correct  moderately  his  child,  and 
the  master  his  apprentice  ; and  the  case  of  the  ship- 
master has  been  placed  upon  the  same  principle.  The 
statutes,  and  the  common  law  as  expounded  in  the  decis- 
ions of  courts,  and  in  the  books  of  commentators,  are  ex- 
press and  unanimous  to  this  point,  that  the  captain  may 
inflict  moderate  corporal  chastisement,  for  a reasonable 
cause.  If  the  punishment  is  excessive,  or  the  cause  not 
sufficient  to  justify  it,  he  is  answerable  ; and  the  jury  are  to 
determine,  by  their  verdict  in  each  case,  whether,  under  all 
the  circumstances,  the  punishment,  was  moderate,  and  for 
a justifiable  cause. 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


353 

This  seemed  to  me  to  be  as  good  a position  as  the 
whole  subject  can  be  left  in.  I mean  to  say,  that  no  positive 
enactment,  going  beyond  this,  is  needed,  or  would  be  a 
benefit  either  to  masters  or  men,  in  the  present  state  of 
things.  This  again  would  seem  to  be  a case  which  should 
be  left  to  be  the  gradual  working  of  its  own  cure.  As  sea- 
men improve,  punishment  will  become  less  necessary  ; 
and  as  the  character  of  officers  is  raised,  they  will  be  less 
ready  to  inflict  it ; and,  still  more,  the  infliction  of  it  upon 
intelligent  and  respectable  men,  will  be  an  enormity  which 
will  not  be  tolerated  by  public  opinion,  and  by  juries,  who 
are  the  pulse  of  the  body  politic.  No  one"  can  have  a 
greater  abhorrence  of  the  infliction  of  such  punishment  than 
I have  and  a stronger  conviction  that  severity  is  bad  policy 
with  a crew  ; yet  I would  ask  every  reasonable  man  whether 
he  had  not  better  trust  to  the  practice  becoming  unnecessary 
and  disreputable  ; to  the  measure  of  moderate  chastisement 
and  a justifiable  cause  being  better  understood,  and  thus, 
the  act  becoming  dangerous,  and  in  course  of  time  to  be 
regarded  as  an  unheard-of  barbarity — than  to  take  the  re- 
sponsibility of  prohibiting  it,  at  once,  in  all  cases,  and  in 
whatever  degree,  by  positive  enactment  ? 

There  is,  however,  one  point  connected  with  the  ad- 
ministration of  justice  to  seamen,  to  which  I wish  seriously 
to  call  the  attention  of  those  interested  in  their  behalf,  and 
if  possible,  also  of  some  of  those  concerned  in  that  admin- 
istration. This  is  the  practice  which  prevails  of  making 
strong  appeals  to  the  jury  in  mitigation  of  damages,  or  to 
the  judge,  after  a verdict  has  been  rendered  against  a cap- 
tain or  officer,  for  a lenient  sentence,  on  the  grounds  of 
their  previous  good  character,  and  of  their  being  poor,  and 
having  friends  and  families  depending  upon  them  for  sup- 
port. These  appeals  have  been  allowed  a weight  which 
is  almost  incredible,  and  which,  I think,  works  a greater 
hardship  upon  seamen  than  any  one  other  thing  in  the  laws, 
or  the  execution  of  them.  Notwithstanding  every  advan- 
tage the  captain  has  over  the  seamen  in  point  of  evidence, 
friends,  money,  and  able  counsel,  it  becomes  apparent  that 
he  must  fail  in  his  defence.  An  appeal  is  then  made  to 
the  jury,  if  it  is  a civil  action,  or  to  the  judge  for  a mitigated 
sentence,  if  it  is  a criminal  prosecution,  on  the  two  grounds 
I have  mentioned.  The  same  form  is  usually  gone  through 


354 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


in  every  case.  In  the  first  place,  as  to  the  previous  good 
character  of  the  party.  Witnesses  are  brought  from  the 
town  in  which  he  resides,  to  testify  to  his  good  character, 
and  to  his  unexceptional  conduct  when  on  shore.  They 
say  that  he  is  a good  father,  or  husband,  or  son,  or  neigh- 
bor, and  that  they  never  saw  in  him  any  signs  of  a cruel 
tyrannical  disposition,  I have  even  known  evidence  ad- 
mitted to  show  the  character  he  bore  when  a boy  at  school. 
The  owners  of  the  vessel,  and  other  merchants,  and  per- 
haps the  president  of  the  insurance  company,  are  then  in- 
troduced ; and  they  testify  to  his  correct  deportment, 
express  their  confidence  in  his  honesty,  and  say  that  they 
have  never  seen  anything  in  his  conduct  to  justify  a sus- 
picion of  his  being  capable  of  cruelty  or  tyranny.  This 
evidence  is  then  put  together,  and  great  stress  is  laid  upon 
the  extreme  respectability  of  those  who  give  it.  They  are 
the  companions  and  neighbors  of  the  captain,  it  is  said, — 
men  who  know  him  in  his  business  and  domestic  relations, 
and  who  knew  him  in  his  early  youth.  They  are  also  men 
of  the  highest  standing  in  the  community,  and  who,  as  the 
captain’s  employers,  must  be  supposed  to  know  his  charac- 
ter. This  testimony  is  then  contrasted  with  that  of  some 
half  dozen  obscure  sailors,  who,  the  counselor  will  not  for- 
get to  add,  are  exasperated  against  the  captain  because 
he  has  found  it  necessary  to  punish  them  moderately,  and 
who  have  combined  against  him,  and  if  they  have  not  fab- 
ricated a story  entirely,  have  at  least  so  exaggerated  it, 
that  little  confidence  can  be  placed  in  it. 

The  next  thing  to  be  done  is  to  show  to  the  court  and 
jury  that  the  captain  is  a poor  man,  and  has  a wife  and 
family,  or  other  friends,  depending  upon  him  for  support ; 
that  if  he  is  fined,  it  will  only  be  taking  bread  from  the 
mouths  of  the  innocent  and  helpless,  and  laying  a burden 
upon  them  which  their  whole  lives  will  not  be  able  to  work 
off ; and  that  if  he  is  imprisoned,  the  confinement,  to  be 
sure,  he  will  have  to  bear,  but  the  distress  consequent 
upon  the  cutting  him  off  from  his  labor  and  means  of  earn- 
ing his  wages,  will  fall  upon  a poor  wife  and  helpless 
children,  or  upon  an  infirm  parent.  These  two  topics,  well 
put,  and  urged  home  earnestly,  seldom  fail  of  their  effect. 

In  deprecation  of  this  mode  of  proceeding,  and  in  be- 
half of  men  who  I believe  are  every  day  wronged  by  it,  I 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


355 

would  urge  a few  considerations  which  seem  to  me  to  be 
conclusive. 

First,  as  to  the  evidence  of  the  good  character  the  cap- 
tain sustains  on  shore.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  mas- 
ters of  vessels  have  usually  been  brought  up  in  a forecastle  ; 
and  upon  all  men,  and  especially  upon  those  taken  from 
lower  situations,  the  conferring  of  absolute  power  is  too 
apt  to  work  a great  change.  There  are  many  captains 
whom  I know  to  be  cruel  and  tyrannical  men  at  sea,  who 
yet,  among  their  friends,  and  in  their  families,  have  never 
lost  the  reputation  they  bore  in  childhood.  In  fact,  the 
sea-captain  is  seldom  at  home,  and  when  he  is,  his  stay 
is  short,  and  during  the  continuance  of  it  he  is  surrounded 
by  friends  who  treat  him  with  kindness  and  consideration, 
and  he  has  everything  to  please,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
restrain  him.  He  would  be  a brute  indeed,  if,  after  an 
absence  of  months  or  years,  during  his  short  stay,  so  short 
that  the  novelty  and  excitement  of  it  has  hardly  time  to 
wear  off,  and  the  attentions  he  receives  as  a visitor  and 
stranger  hardly  time  to  slacken,— if,  under  such  circum- 
stances, a townsman  or  neighbor  would  be  justified  in  testify- 
ing against  his  correct  and  peaceable  deportment.  With 
the  owners  of  the  vessel,  also,  to  which  he  is  attached,  and 
among  merchants  and  insurers  generally,  he  is  a very  differ- 
ent man  from  what  he  may  be  at  sea,  when  his  own  master, 
and  the  master  pf  everybody  and  everything  about  him.  He 
knows  that  upon  such  men,  and  their  good  opinion  of  him 
he  depends/for  his  bread.  So  far  from  their  testimony 
being  of  pny  value  in  determining  what  his  conduct  would 
be  at  s£a,  one  would  expect  that,  the  master  who  would 
abuse^ and  impose  upon  a man  under  his  power,  would  be 
the^ most  compliant  and  deferential  to  his  employers  at 
h6me. 

* As  to  the  appeal  made  in  the  captain’s  behalf  on  the 
ground  of  his  being  poor  and  having  persons  depending 
upon  his  labor  for  support,  the  main  and  fatal  objection 
to  it  is,  that  it  will  cover  every  case  of  the  kind,  and  exempt 
nearly  the  whole  body  of  masters  and  officers  from  punish- 
ment the  law  has  provided  for  them.  There  are  very 
few,  if  any,  masters  or  other  officers  of  merchantmen  in  our 
country,  who  are  not  poor  men,  and  having  either  parents, 
wives,  children,  or  other  relatives,  depending  mainly  or 


356  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

wholly  upon  their  exertions  for  support  in  life.  Few 
others  follow  the  sea  for  subsistence.  Now  if  this  appeal 
is  to  have  weight  with  courts  in  diminishing  the  penalty 
the  law  would  otherwise  inflict,  is  not  the  whole  class  un- 
der a privilege  which  will,  in  a degree,  protect  it  in  wrong- 
doing ? It  is  not  a thing  that  happens  now  and  then.  It 
is  the  invariable  appeal,  the  last  resort,  of  counsel,  when 
everything  else  has  failed.  I have  known  cases  of  the 
most  flagrant  nature,  where,  after  every  effort  has  been 
made  for  the  captain,  and  yet  a verdict  rendered  against 
him,  and  all  other  hope  failed,  this  appeal  has  been  urged, 
and  with  such  success  that  the  punishment  has  been 
reduced  to  something  little  more  than  nominal ; the  court 
not  seeming  to  consider  that  it  might  be  made  in  almost 
every  such  case  that  could  come  before  them.  It  is  a little 
singular,  too,  that  it  seems  to  be  confined  to  cases  of  ship- 
masters and  officers.  No  one  ever  heard  of  a sentence, 
for  an  offence  committed  on  shore,  being  reduced  by  the 
court  on  the  grounds  of  the  prisoner’s  poverty,  and  the 
relation  in  which  he  may  stand  to  third  persons.  On  the 
contrary,  it  has  been  thought  that  the  certainty  that  dis- 
grace and  suffering  will  be  brought  upon  others  as  well  as 
himself,  is  one  of  the  chief  restraints  upon  the  criminally 
disposed.  Besides,  this  course  works  a peculiar  hardship 
in  the  case  of  the  sailor.  For  if  poverty  is  the  point  in  ques- 
tion, the  sailor  is  the  poorer  of  the  two  ; and  if  there  is  a man 
on  earth  who  depends  upon  whole  limbs  and  an  unbroken 
spirit  for  support,  it  is  the  sailor.  He,  too,  has  friends  to 
whom  his  hard  earnings  may  be  a relief,  and  whose  hearts 
will  bleed  at  any  cruelty  or  indignity  practised  upon  him. 
Yet  I never  knew  this  side  of  the  case  to  be  once  adverted 
to  in  these  arguments  addressed  to  the  leniency  of  the 
court,  which  are  now  so  much  in  vogue  ; and  certainly 
they  are  never  allowed  a moment’s  consideration  when  a 
sailor  is  on  trial  for  revolt,  or  for  an  injury  done  to  an  officer. 
Notwithstanding  the  many  difficulties  which  lie  in  a sea- 
man’s way  in  a court  of  justice,  presuming  that  they  will  be 
modified  in  time,  there  would  be  little  to  complain  of,  were 
it  not  for  these  two  appeals. 

It  is  no  cause  of  complaint  that  the  testimony  of  sea- 
men against  their  officers  is  viewed  with  suspicion,  and 
that  great  allowance  is  made  for  combinations  and  exagger* 


. TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


357 


ation.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  the  judge’s  duty  to  charge 
the  jury  on  these  points,  strongly.  But  there  is  reason 
for  objection,  when,  after  a strict  cross  examination  of 
witnesses,  after  the  arguments  of  counsel,  and  the  judge’s 
charge,  a verdict  is  found  against  the  master,  that  the 
court  should  allow  the  practice  of  hearing  appeals  to  its 
lenity,  supported  solely  by  evidence  of  the  captain’s  good 
conduct  when  on  shore,  (especially  where  the  case  is  one 
in  which  no  evidence  but  that  of  sailors  could  have  been 
brought  against  the  accused,)  and  then,  on  this  ground, 
and  on  the  invariable  claims  of  the  wife  and  family,  be  in- 
duced to  cut  down  essentially  the  penalty  imposed  by  a 
statute  made  expressly  for  masters  and  officers  of  mer- 
chantmen, and  for  no  one  else. 

There  are  many  particulars  connected  with  the  man- 
ning of  vessels,  the  provisions  given  to  crews,  and  the  treat- 
ment of  them  while  at  sea,  upon  which  there  might  be  a 
good  deal  said  ; but  as  I have,  "for  the  most  part,  remarked 
upon  them  as  they  came  up  in  the  course  of  my  narrative 
I will  offer  nothing  further  now,  except  on  the  single  point 
of  the  manner  of  shipping  men.  This,  it  is  well  known,  is 
usually  left  entirely  to  shipping-masters,  and  is  a cause  of 
a great  deal  of  difficulty,  which  might  be  remedied  by  the 
captain,  or  owner,  if  he  has  any  knowledge  of  seamen, 
attending  to  it  personally.  One  of  the  members  of  the 

firm  to  which  our  ship  belonged,  Mr.  S , had  been 

himself  a master  of  a vessel,  and  generally  selected  the 
crew  from  a number  sent  down  to  him  from  the  shipping- 
office.  In  this  way  he  almost  always  had  healthy,  service- 
able, and  respectable  men  ; for  any  one  who  has  seen 
much  of  sailors  can  tell  pretty  well  at  first  sight,  by  a man’s 
dress,  countenance,  and  deportment,  what  he  would  be  on 
board  ship.  This  same  gentleman  was  also  in  the  habit 
of  seeing  the  crew  together,  and  speaking  to  them  pre- 
viously to  their  sailing.  On  the  day  before  our  ship  sailed, 
while  the  crew  were  getting  their  chests  and  clothes  on 
board,  he  went  down  into  the  forecastle  and  spoke  to 
them  about  the  voyage,  the  clothing  they  v/ould  need,  the 

firovision  he  had  made  for  them,  and  saw  that  they  had  a 
amp  and  a few  other  conveniences.  If  owners  or  masters 
would  more  generally  take  the  same  pains,  they  would  often 
save  their  crews  a good  deal  of  inconvenience,  beside  creat- 


355  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST 

ing  a sense  of  satisfaction  and  gratitude,  which  make  a voy- 
age begin  under  good  auspices,  and  goes  far  toward  keeping 
up  a better  state  of  feeling  throughout  its  continuance. 

It  only  lemains  for  me  now  to  speak  of  the  associated 
public  efforts  which  have  been  making  of  late  years  for 
the  good  of  seamen  ; a far  more  agreeable  task  than  that 
of  finding  fault,  even  where  fault  there  is.  The  exertions 
of  the  general  association,  called  the  American  Seamen's 
Friend  Society,  and  of  the  other  smaller  societies  through- 
out the  Union,  have  been  a true  blessing  to  the  seaman  ; 
and  bid  fair,  in  course  of  time,  to  change  the  whole  nature 
of  the  circumstances  in  which  he  is  placed,  and  give  him 
a new  name,  as  well  as  a new  character.  These  associa- 
tions have  taken  hold  in  the  right  way,  and  aimed  both  at 
making  the  sailor's  life  more  comfortable  and  creditable, 
and  at  giving  him  spiritual  instruction.  Connected  with 
these  efforts,  the  spread  of  temperance  among  seamen, 
by  means  of  societies,  called,  in  their  own  nautical  lan- 
guage, Windward-Anchor  Societies,  and  the  distribution 
of  books ; the  establishment  of  Sailors'  Homes,  where 
they  can  be  comfortably  and  cheaply  boarded,  live  quietly 
and  decently,  and  be  in  the  way  of  religious  services,  read- 
ing and  conversation  ; also  the  institution  of  Savings 
Banks  for  Seamen  ; the  distribution  of  tracts  and  Bibles  ; 
—are  all  means  which  are  silently  doing  a great  work  for 
this  class  of  men.  These  societies  make  the  religious  in- 
struction of  seamen  their  prominent  object.  If  this  is 
gained,  there  is  no  fear  but  that  all  other  things  necessary 
will  be  added  unto  them.  A sailor  never  becomes  inter- 
ested in  religion,  without  immediately  learning  to  read,  if 
he  did  not  know  how  before  ; and  regular  habits,  fore- 
handedness (if  I may  use  the  word)  in  worldly  affairs,  and 
hours  reclaimed  from  indolence  and  vice,  which  follow  in 
the  wake  of  the  converted  man,  make  it  sure  that  he  will 
instruct  himself  in  the  knowledge  necessary  and  suitable 
to  his  calling.  The  religious  change  is  the  great  object. 
If  this  is  secured,  there  is  no  fear  but  that  knowledge  of 
things  of  the  world  will  come  in  fast  enough.  With  the  sailor, 
as  with  all  other  men  in  fact,  the  cultivation  of  the  intellect, 
and  the  spread  of  what  is  commonly  called  useful  knowl- 
edge, while  religious  instruction  is  neglected,  is  little  else 
than  changing  an  ignorant  sinner  into  an  intelligent  and 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


359 


powerful  one.  That  sailor  upon  whom,  of  all  others, 
the  preaching  of  the  Cross  is  least  likely  to  have  effect, 
is  the  one  whose  understanding  has  been  cultivated, 
while  his  heart  has  been  left  to  its  own  devices.  I fully 
believe  that  those  efforts  which  have  their  end  in  the  in- 
tellectual cultivation  of  the  sailor  ; in  giving  him  scientific 
knowledge  ; putting  it  in  his  power  to  read  everything, 
without  securing,  first  of  all,  a right  heart  which  shall  guide 
him  in  judgment ; in  giving  him  political  information,  and 
interesting  him  in  newspapers  ; — an  end  in  the  furtherance 
of  which  he  is  exhibited  at  ladies’  fairs  and  public  meet- 
ings and  complimented  for  his  gallantry  and  generosity, 
— are  all  doing  a harm  which  the  labors  of  many  faithful 
men  cannot  undo. 

The  establishment  of  Bethels  in  most  of  our  own  sea- 
ports, and  in  many  foreign  ports  frequented  by  our  vessels, 
where  the  gospel  is  regularly  preached ; and  the  opening 
of  “ Sailors’  Homes,”  which  I have  before  mentioned,  where 
there  are  usually  religious  services  and  other  good  influ- 
ences, are  doing  a vast  deal  in  this  cause.  But  it  is  to  be 
remembered  that  the  sailor’s  home  is  on  the  deep.  Nearly 
all  his  life  must  be  spent  on  board  ship  ; and  to  secure  a 
religious  influence  there,  should  be  the  great  object.  The 
distribution  of  Bibles  and  tracts  into  cabins  and  fore- 
castles, will  do  much  toward  this.  There  is  nothing  which 
will  gain  a sailor’s  attention  sooner,  and  interest  him  more 
deeply,  than  a tract,  especially  one  which  contains  a story. 
It  is  difficult  to  engage  their  attention  in  mere  essays  and 
arguments,  but  the  simplest  and  shortest  story,  in  which 
home  is  spoken  of,  kind  friends,  a praying  mother  or  sister, 
a sudden  death,  and  the  like,  often  touches  the  hearts  of 
the  roughest  and  most  abandoned.  The  Bible  is  to  the 
sailor  a sacred  book.  It  may  lie  in  the  bottom  of  his  chest 
voyage  after  voyage ; but  he  never  treats  it  with  positive 
disrespect.  I never  knew  but  one  sailor  who  doubted  its 
being  the  inspired  word  of  God  ; and  he  was  one  who  had 
received  an  uncommonly  good  education,  except  that  he 
had  been  brought  up  without  any  early  religious  influence. 
The  most  abandoned  man  of  our  crew,  one  Sunday  morn- 
ing, asked  one  of  the  boys  to  lend  him  his  Bible.  The  boy 
said  he  would,  but  was  afraid  he  would  make  sport  of 
it  u No  l ” said  the  man,  “ I don’t  make  sport  of  God 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 


360 

Almighty.”  This  is  a feeling  general  among  sailors,  and 
is  a good  foundation  for  religious  influence. 

A still  greater  gain  is  made  whenever,  by  means  of 
a captain  who  is  interested  in  the  eternal  welfare  of  those 
under  his  command,  there  can  be  secured  the  performance 
of  regular  religious  exercises,  and  the  exertion,  on  the  side 
of  religion,  of  that  mighty  influence  which  a captain  pos- 
sesses for  good,  or  for  evil.  There  are  occurrences  at  sea 
which  he  may  turn  to  great  account, — a sudden  dearth,  the 
apprehension  of  danger,  or  the  escape  from  it,  and  the  like  ; 
and  all  the  calls  for  gratitude  and  faith.  Besides,  thiis  state 
of  things  alters  the  whole  current  of  feeling  between  the 
crew  and  their  commander.  His  authority  assumes  more 
of  the  parental  character ; and  kinder  feelings  exist.  God- 
win, though  an  infidel,  in  one  of  his  novels,  describing  the 
relation  in  which  a tutor  stood  to  his  pupil,  says  that  the 
conviction  the  tutor  was  under,  that  he  and  his  ward  were 
both  alike  awaiting  a state  of  eternal  happiness  or  misery, 
and  that  they  must  appear  together  before  the  same  judg- 
ment-seat, operated  so  upon  his  naturally  morose  disposi- 
tion, as  to  produce  a feeling  of  kindness  and  tenderness 
toward  his  ward,  which  nothing  else  could  have  caused. 
Such  must  be  the  effect  upon  the  relation  of  master  and 
common  seamen. 

There  are  now  many  vessels  sailing  under  such  auspi- 
ces, in  which  great  good  is  done.  Yet  I never  happened 
to  fall  in  with  one  of  them.  I did  not  hear  a prayer  made, 
a chapter  read  in  public,  nor  see  anything  approaching  to  a 
religious  service,  for  two  years  and  a quarter.  There  were, 
in  the  course  of  the  voyage,  many  incidents  which  made, 
for  the  time,  serious  impressions  upon  our  minds,  and  which 
might  have  been  turned  to  our  good ; but  there  being  no 
one  to  use  the  opportunity,  and  no  services,  the  regular  re- 
turn of  which  might  have  kept  something  of  the  feeling 
alive  in  us,  the  advantage  of  them  was  lost,  to  some,  per- 
haps, forever. 

The  good  which  a single  religious  captain  may  do  can 
hardly  be  calculated.  In  the  first  place,  as  I have  said,  a 
kinder  state  of  feeling  exists  on  board  the  ship.  There  is 
no  profanity  allowed  ; and  the  men  are  not  called  by  any 
opprobrious  names,  which  is  a great  thing  with  sailors.  The 
Sabbath  is  observed.  This  gives  the  men  a day  of  rest, 


TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST  361 

even  if  they  pass  it  in  no  other  way.  Such  a captain,  too, 
will  not  allow  a sailor  on  board  his  ship  to  remain  unable 
to  read  his  Bible  and  the  books  given  to  him  ; and  will 
usually  instruct  those  who  need  it,  in  writing,  arithmetic, 
and  navigation  ; since  he  has  a good  deal  of  time  on  kis 
hands,  which  he  can  easily  employ  in  such  a manner.  He 
will  also  have  regular  religious  services  ; and,  in  fact,  by 
the  power  of  his  example,  and,  where  it  can  judiciously  be 
done,  by  the  exercise  of  his  authority,  will  give  a character 
to  the  ship,  and  all  on  board.  In  foreign  ports,  a ship  is 
known  by  her  captain  ; for,  there  being  no  general  rules  in 
the  merchant  service,  each  master  may  adopt  a plan  of  his 
own.  It  is  to  be  remembered,  too,  that  there  are,  inmost 
ships,  boys  of  a tender  age,  whose  characters  for  life  are 
forming,  as  well  as  old  men,  whose  lives  must  be  drawing 
toward  a close.  The  greater  part  of  sailors  die  at  sea ; 
and  when  they  find  their  end  approaching,  if  it  does  not, 
as  is  often  the  case,  come  without  warning,  they  cannot,  as 
on  shore,  send  for  a clergyman,  or  some  religious  friend, 
to  speak  to  them  of  that  hope  in  a Saviour,  which  they  have 
neglected,  if  not  despised,  through  life  ; but  if  the  little 
hull  does  not  contain  such  an  one  within  its  compass,  they 
must  be  left  without  human  aid  in  their  great  extremity. 
When  such  commanders  and  such  ships,  as  I have  just  de- 
scribed, shall  become  more  numerous,  the  hope  of  the 
friends  of  seamen  will  be  greatly  strengthened , and  it  is 
encouraging  to  remember  that  the  efforts  among  common 
sailors  will  soon  raise  up  such  a class ; for  those  of  them 
who  are  brought  under  these  influences  will  inevitably  be 
the  ones  to  succeed  to  the  places  of  trust  and  authority. 
If  there  is  on  earth  an  instance  where  a little  leaven 
may  leaven  the  whole  lump,  it  is  that  of  a religious  ship- 
master. 

It  is  to  the  progress  of  this  work  among  seamen  that 
we  must  look  with  the  greatest  confidence  for  the  remedy- 
ing of  those  numerous  minor  evils  and  abuses  that  we  so 
often  hear  of.  It  will  raise  the  character  of  sailors,  both 
as  individuals  and  as  a class.  It  will  give  weight  to  their 
testimony  in  courts  of  justice,  secure  better  usage  to  them 
on  board  ship,  and  add  comforts  to  their  lives  on  shore 
and  at  sea.  There  are  some  laws  that  can  be  passed  to 
remove  temptation  from  their  way  and  to  help  them  in 


362  TWO  YEARS  BEFORE  THE  MAST. 

their  progress ; and  some  changes  in  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  lower  courts,  to  prevent  delays,  may,  and  probably  will 
be  made.  But  generally  speaking,  more  especially  in 
things  which  concern  the  discipline  of  ships,  we  had  better 
labor  in  this  great  work,  and  view  with  caution  the  proposal 
of  new  laws  and  arbitrary  regulations,  remembering  that 
most  of  those  concerned  in  the  making  of  them  must  neces- 
sarily be  little  qualified  to  judge  of  their  operation. 

Without  any  formal  dedication  of  my  narrative  to  that 
body  of  men,  of  whose  common  life  it  is  intended  to  be  a 
picture,  I have  yet  borne  them  constantly  in  mind  during 
its  preparation.  I cannot  but  trust  that  those  of  them,  into 
whose  hands  it  may  chance  to  fall,  will  find  in  it  that 
which  shall  render  any  professions  of  sympathy  and  good 
wishes  on  my  part  unnecessary.  And  I will  take  the 
liberty,  on  parting  with  my  reader,  who  has  gone  down 
with  us  to  the  ocean,  and  “ laid  his  hand  upon  its  mane/’ 
to  commend  to  his  kind  wishes,  and  to  the  benefit  of  his 
efforts,  that  class  of  men  with  whom,  for  a time,  my  lot 
was  cast.  I wish  the  rather  to  do  this,  since  I feel  that 
whatever  attention  this  book  may  gain,  and  whatever  favoi 
it  may  find,  I shall  owe  almost  entirely  to  that  interest  in 
rhe  sea,  and  those  who  follow  it,  which  is  so  easily  excited 
irv  us  alL 


